Pilot Debrief

BUHL LA 1 near Cottage Grove, OR — 2015-05-03

Final reportWPR15LA156
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Date
2015-05-03
Location
Cottage Grove, OR, USA
Airport
61S
Aircraft
BUHL LA 1
Registration
N352Y
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

A loss of engine power on downwind for landing due to carburetor icing, which resulted in a forced landing.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was conducting a high-speed taxi test, during which he did not intend to fly, when the airplane encountered a wind gust and then unexpectedly became airborne. Insufficient runway was available to abort the takeoff, so he decided to continue flight in the traffic pattern and return to land. On the downwind leg, the engine lost power. The pilot continued straight ahead toward an open area, and the right wing impacted a tree during the forced landing. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of carburetor icing at glide and cruise power and serious icing at glide power. The airplane was not equipped with carburetor heat, and it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff after the high speed run.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 2 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents2

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