WILDWOOD, NJ, USA
N97011
Cessna 172P
After a 1 hour cruise flight, the pilot established a straight in approach to the landing runway. The pilot set the flaps to 10 degrees, the carburetor heat on, and noticed he was 'slightly low for landing.' He then increased the throttle, but there was no increase in power. According to the pilot at this point he checked that the primer was in and the mixture was full rich. The pilot added that he realized he was not going to make the runway, so he started to look for an alternate landing area. The airplane then struck a tree, and came to rest in a pond. Fuel was found in the wing tanks, and a post accident run of the engine was satisfactory. A carburetor icing chart revealed the conditions were conducive for moderate icing for cruise power, and serious icing for glide power.
On July 6, 1997, at 1930 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N97011, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees during an emergency landing at the Cape May County Airport (WWD), Wildwood, New Jersey. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that departed Caldwell, New Jersey, about 1830, destined for WWD. No flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated that he choose a straight in approach to Runway 28 at WWD. The pilot set the flaps to 10 degrees, the carburetor heat on, and noticed he was "slightly low for landing." He then increased the throttle, but there was no increase in power. According to the pilot at this point he check that the primer was in and the mixture was full rich. The pilot added that he realized he was not going to make the runway, so he started to look for an alternate landing area. The pilot observed a "slight" clearing about 300 feet short of the runway. At 80 feet AGL, the propeller came to a complete stop, the stall horn sounded, and the left gear and wing struck a tree at the edge of the clearing. The impacted rotated the airplane 45 degrees left before it impacted the water just short of the runway environment. In a telephone interview the Chief of the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Bureau of Inspection and Aircraft Operation, he stated that the environmental protection agency recovered approximately 15 gallons of fuel while cleaning up the accident site. Examination, and operational testing of the engine was preformed after water was drained from the carburetor. The engine was then operated to 1700 RPM, and both magnetos dropped 100 RPM when tested. A weather sequence report from WWD, at 1940, listed the visibility as 10 miles, with the temperature at 74 degrees and the dewpoint at 63 degrees. A carburetor icing chart found in an FAA publication, Tips on Winter Flying was examined. The point where a temperature of 73 degrees, and dewpoint of 64 degrees intersected on the chart, was listed as "moderate icing - cruise power or serious icing - glide power."
The pilot's inadequate use of carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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