ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 175403
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| Date: | Tuesday 14 April 2015 |
| Time: | 13:30 |
| Type: |  Cessna 180 Skywagon |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N9247C |
| MSN: | 31346 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1955 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 8281 hours |
| Engine model: | Continental O-470 SERIES |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Near Culross Island in Prince William Sound, Alaska -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Wasilla, AK (IYS) |
| Valdez, AK (VDZ) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in instrument meteorological conditions. The airplane was not certificated for flight into icing. A review of radar data and radio communications recordings revealed that, after an air traffic controller issued the pilot a descent from 10,000 to 8,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the pilot reported that he was having engine trouble and had encountered possible icing. The pilot subsequently declared an emergency, and 3 minutes later, radar contact and communication with the airplane were lost. A day after the accident, search and rescue personnel found the remains of the pilot along the eastern shoreline of Culross Island. The left main landing gear strut and tire were also recovered. The rest of the airplane was not located, and it is presumed to have sunk in Prince William Sound.
A review of weather information revealed that marginal visual flight rules conditions prevailed along the flight route due to low ceilings and that occasional instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed due to low ceilings and visibility in snow showers. Moderate icing was forecast between 4,000 and 10,000 ft above ground level. It is likely that the airplane encountered IMC and potential icing conditions below 10,000 ft msl. A pilot in an airplane about 6 minutes behind the accident airplane reported that, before descending from about 9,500 ft msl, he noticed a slight buildup of ice on the left engine cowling. Given this statement, the weather reports, and the accident pilot’s report that he was having engine trouble, it is likely that the airplane flew through an area favorable for the formation of induction or carburetor icing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
A mechanic reported that the pilot had told him that when he applied carburetor heat, the control felt "mushy." The mechanic instructed the pilot to inspect the control arm for any damage because it could prevent the carburetor heat from operating correctly. Before the accident flight, the mechanic sent a text message to the pilot asking if he had checked the carburetor heat control, and the pilot replied that he had not but would do it that day. Therefore, although it is possible that damage to the carburetor heat control arm may have limited the amount of carburetor heat available to eliminate any possible carburetor ice, it could not be determined if this occurred because the airplane could not be examined.
Probable Cause: The pilot's decision to continue flight into known icing conditions, contrary to the airplane’s limitations, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to icing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=9247C
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N9247C
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 15-Apr-2015 06:56 | gerard57 | Added |
| 15-Apr-2015 14:26 | Geno | Updated [Location, Source] |
| 16-Apr-2015 01:06 | Geno | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source] |
| 16-Apr-2015 14:15 | Geno | Updated [Total fatalities, Other fatalities, Damage, Narrative] |
| 17-Apr-2015 13:22 | Geno | Updated [Source, Damage, Narrative] |
| 21-Apr-2015 16:37 | Geno | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:30 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 01-Dec-2017 13:02 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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