ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 363057
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| Date: | Sunday 23 August 1992 |
| Time: | 15:15 LT |
| Type: |  Piper J3C-65 |
| Owner/operator: | West Valley Flying Club |
| Registration: | N707CW |
| MSN: | 17011 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 3294 hours |
| Engine model: | CONTINENTAL A-65 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Morgan Hill, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Palo Alto, CA (KPAO) |
| (KPAO) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS FLYING AROUND THE LOCAL HILLS SIGHTSEEING WITH HIS PASSENGER. NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE THE PILOT PERFORMED SEVERAL TURNS AROUND A SMALL DIRT AIRSTRIP LOOKING AT IT, THEN DEPARTED TO THE WEST. JUST AS THE AIRCRAFT CLEARED A RIDGE LINE HE PERCEIVED A LOSS OF AIRSPEED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MANIPULATED THE THROTTLE AND CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROLS BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE PILOT TURNED AROUND AND ATTEMPTED TO RECROSS THE RIDGE LINE BACK TOWARD THE SMALL DIRT AIRSTRIP, HOWEVER, HIS ALTITUDE WAS INSUFFICIENT AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE CLOSEST WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION WAS REPORTING A TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT OF 85 AND 46 DEGREES, WHICH IS IN THE AREA OF A CARB ICE GRAPH ANNOTATED 'LIGHT ICING GLIDE OR CRUISE POWER.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AT THE SITE REVEALED FUEL IN THE TANKS, LINES AND CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND INSTALLED IN A TEST CELL. THE ENGINE STARTED AND WAS EXERCISED THROUGHOUT ITS NORMAL POWER RANGE. MAGNETO CHECKS AND ACCELERATION RATES WERE FOUND TO BE NORMAL.
Probable Cause: A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX92LA361
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 18-Mar-2024 13:03 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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