Accident Van's RV-3A N3920P,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 134100
 
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Date:Wednesday 9 October 1996
Time:18:45 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic RV3 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Van's RV-3A
Owner/operator:Alan M. Peters
Registration: N3920P
MSN: 740
Total airframe hrs:400 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-235-C1
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Rosharon, TX -   United States of America
Phase: Unknown
Nature:Private
Departure airport:League City, TX (KSPX)
Destination airport:Arcola, TX (KAXH)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The pilot was doing 'some formation flying and sight seeing' with a friend in another airplane. The pilot stated that he 'pulled the power back to approximately 1,000 RPM in order for my friend to catch up with me.' Approximately 30 to 45 seconds went by and the pilot advanced the throttle to discover that he had 'no power.' The pilot performed a forced landing and impacted a transmission wire starting a fire in the engine compartment before he got to the ground. After landing, the pilot immediately exited the airplane and the airplane subsequently burned. The pilot, who is also an aircraft mechanic with an Inspection Authorization, reported that he suspects that the aircraft's engine power loss was due to 'carburetor icing.' The temperature and dew point reported in the local area at the time of the accident place the ambient air well inside the possible carburetor icing area on an icing probability curves chart.

Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to follow procedures and directives in that he did not use carburetor heat and he did not periodically clear the engine during an extended glide. Factors were the carburetor icing weather conditions and the transmission wire.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: FTW97LA013
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 10 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB FTW97LA013

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
21-Dec-2016 19:26 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
08-Apr-2024 18:34 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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