Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Irving, New York 14081
Monday, March 22, 1999 15:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot departed on a VFR flight with IMC and icing conditions forecast and reported along his route of flight. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan en route and entered IMC conditions. Shortly thereafter, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power that could not be corrected by application of carburetor heat. The pilot reported a loss of cabin heat at the onset of the emergency. Cabin heat was drawn from the same source as carburetor heat, upstream of the carburetor. An AIRMET for icing issued prior to departure called for: Light to occasional moderate rime icing in-clouds below 8,000 feet. Conditions continuing beyond 1600 through 2200. A National Weather Service Area Forecast issued for the route of flight was for overcast ceilings at 2,000 to 3,000 feet with tops to 12,000 feet, occasional light snow showers. Weather reported 10 miles southeast of the accident site, was: few clouds at 200 feet with a broken ceiling of 700 feet and an overcast ceiling at 1,100 feet. Visibility was 1/4 mile in light snow and freezing fog. The winds were from 250 degrees at 23 knots gusting to 31 knots. The airplane was not equipped with de-icing or anti-icing equipment.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

was the pilot's intentional flight into known icing conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/22/1999
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City IRVING
Event State NEW YORK
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 14081
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 255
Weather Observation Facility ID DKK
Elevation of weather observation facility 693
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 200
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0.25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 23
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 31
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1890
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 22 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1740
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2001 4:45AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5878Q
NTSB Number IAD99LA035
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR/IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Mooney
Aircraft Model M20C
Aircraft Series Identifier M20C
Aircraft Serial Number 3147
Certified Max Gross Weight 2575
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 12 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3046
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN S. ALGUIRE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 201 NORTH WALNUT STREET
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CDW
Departure City CALDWELL
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1238
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PHN
Destination City PORT HURON
Destination State MI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 19 2001 4:07AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --