Piper PA18 N2684A

Summary

On 1 January 2016 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N2684A was involved in an accident near Newman Lake, Washington, United States. One person was 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

1 January 2016 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Newman Lake, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Warners Airstrip (N/A)

Coordinates

47.7767, -117.0950

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N2684A

Category

Airplane

Year built

1952

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spokane → Spokane

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR16LA045

Nobody was injured.

A partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the 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 private pilot performed two low passes to the snow-covered airstrip, during which the airplane's flaps were extended and carburetor heat was on. After completing the second low pass, the pilot retracted the wing flaps, turned off the carburetor heat, and applied engine power to go around. The engine subsequently experienced roughness and a partial loss of power. The pilot turned the carburetor heat back on, but engine power was not restored. Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot elected to land on the airstrip he had been overflying. During the landing, the airplane nosed over due to the depth of the accumulated snow, which resulted in substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the carburetor revealed full control continuity to the carburetor heat/air box, the butterfly valve reached full travel, and full control continuity from the cockpit throttle and mixture controls to the carburetor was confirmed. An engine run revealed no anomalies. Although the airplane was operating in conditions that were conducive to a serious risk of carburetor ice accumulation at a descent power setting, the engine was operating at a takeoff/go-around power setting at the time of the loss of power, and it is unlikely that carburetor ice would have accumulated during this time. Therefore, the reason for the partial loss of engine power could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.