Piper PA-22 N118U

Summary

On 19 May 2015 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA-22 registered N118U was involved in an accident near St. Charles, Missouri, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

19 May 2015 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Charles, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

St Charles County Smartt (SET)

Coordinates

38.9322, -90.4311

Aircraft

Piper PA-22

Registration

N118U

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St. Charles → St. Charles

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN15LA237

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that, while approaching the airport to land, he turned on the boost pump, reduced the throttle, and applied carburetor heat. While on downwind, he reduced the engine power to idle and lowered the flaps. While on the base leg, he advanced the throttle; however, the engine stayed at idle power. He turned off the carburetor heat, adjusted the throttle, and cycled the boost pump but was unable to regain engine power and elected to perform a forced landing to a plowed field. The airplane contacted a ditch at the end of the field, crossed over a road, and came to rest in another field, resulting in substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel level in the right wing tank was "low" and the left wing fuel tank was about half full of fuel. A test run of the engine revealed no anomalies. The temperature and dew point conditions were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power; however, the pilot reported that he had applied carburetor heat during the descent and that it was on when the engine would not regain power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.