Cessna 140 N89671

Summary

On 8 May 2005 at about 17:00 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N89671, operated by Keegan Bailey, was involved in an accident near New Cuyama, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 May 2005 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

New Cuyama, California, United States

Coordinates

34.8814, -119.8961

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N89671

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Keegan Bailey

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Ynez → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05LA163

2 people were seriously injured.

the pilot's failure to properly use carburetor heat during conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in the loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the unsuitable landing terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The engine lost power while the airplane was in cruise flight and the airplane collided with obstacles and rough terrain during a forced landing. During cruise flight at 5,500 feet, the pilot felt a vibration in the engine. The vibration seemed to go through the entire airframe. The pilot applied carburetor heat for approximately 20 seconds. He removed the carburetor heat because it did not seem to help the situation and the engine began sputtering. He pulled the power back and began descending, attempting to troubleshoot the problem. The condition worsened and the pilot attempted to climb the airplane but there was not enough power available. All of the engine gauges appeared "in the green" and the pilot could not recall the rpm reading. The pilot and passenger began searching for a place to land and crash-landed into a tree in a crevice in the mountain. The temperature/dew point spread at 4,000 and 5,000 feet mean sea level indicated that moderate carburetor icing conditions existed at cruise power, when compared to a carburetor icing chart. According to the pilot operating handbook for the Cessna 140, "The correct way to use carburetor heat is to first use full heat to remove any ice that is forming." Post accident examination of the engine and airframe did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions that would have resulted in a loss of power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.