Ellington Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ellington, Connecticut 06029
Sunday, December 22, 1996 12:45 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor and a private pilot departed on a local training flight. The preflight, engine start, and run-up were reported normal. The private pilot then taxied the airplane to runway 19, and performed a soft field takeoff. The pilot rotated the airplane at 65 MPH. Before reaching 80 MPH, the engine lost power, and the private pilot applied carburetor heat with no effect. The flight instructor took over the controls and landed the airplane straight ahead on a grass lawn. Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact failure of the engine or airframe. A postaccident engine run was completed satisfactorily. Moisture was found in the engine air inlet system between the air filter and the carburetor air box. The airplane had been kept outside after its last flight, where it had been exposed to a wind blown snow storm, and a driving rain storm. At the time of the accident, the outside air temperature was below freezing.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

ice ingestion into the engine from the carburetor air box, which resulted in a loss of engine power and a subsequent forced landing, off airport, on unprepared terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/22/1996
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City ELLINGTON
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06029
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ELLINGTON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 7B9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 253
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID BDL
Elevation of weather observation facility 174
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1502
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 22 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55228
NTSB Number NYC97LA033
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-140
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-140
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7325346
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 31 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 7416
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM R. KLASE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 26 JACKSON ROAD
Aircraft Owner City ENFIELD
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06081
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 7B9
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1244
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Emergency landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 1800
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --