Justin, TX, USA
N42769
PIPER J3C-65
The pilot was conducting a local flight. During the approach to landing, he applied carburetor heat on the downwind leg and reduced power on the base leg. When he added power, the engine did not respond; however, the propeller continued to windmill. Unable to glide to the private airfield, he selected a nearby wheatfield for the forced landing, but hit trees on the approach. The airplane came to rest in the trees. Examination of the airplane noted that the fuel tank contained fuel and both wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide (idle) engine power settings. Thus, it is likely before the application of carburetor heat, carburetor ice formed and/or the application of carburetor heat was not sufficient to remove the icing which resulted in a loss of engine power during landing.
On March 27, 2021, about 1600 central daylight time, a Piper J3C-65 airplane, N42769, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Justin, Texas. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot he departed a private airfield on a local flight, about 30 minutes before the accident. The pilot added that for the approach to landing, he applied carburetor heat on the downwind leg and reduced power on the base leg. When he added power, the engine did not respond; however, the propeller continued to windmill. Unable to glide to the private airfield, he selected a nearby wheatfield for the forced landing, but hit trees on the approach. The airplane came to rest in the trees. An on-site inspection of the airplane by the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Inspector noted that the fuel tank contained fuel and both wings and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The airplane was recovered from the trees and placed in the owner’s hangar. The National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-In-Charge conducted an engine examination on April 2, 2021. The examination/engine run of the engine did not identify any pre-impact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. A review of the icing probability chart contained in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 revealed that the weather conditions at the time of the accident were "conducive to serious icing at glide [idle] power."
The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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