Pilot Debrief

CHAMPION 7ECA near Tannersville, PA — 2016-04-19

Final reportERA16LA166
Sign in to save
Date
2016-04-19
Location
Tannersville, PA, USA
Aircraft
CHAMPION 7ECA
Registration
N5094X
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot reported that, while returning from a local flight, the airplane was in cruise flight at 2,800 ft above ground level when the engine started to "sputter" and lost power. He set the mixture to the full rich position and applied the carburetor heat in an attempt to restore power but to no avail. The pilot conducted an emergency landing at an abandoned airfield, during which the left wing impacted the ground and sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. While the weather conditions at an airport more than 40 miles away from the accident site were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor ice at cruise power settings, it could not be determined if carburetor icing played a role in the loss of engine power.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked fuel levels before departure to ensure adequate fuel.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 5 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents5

Related mishaps