Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Las Cruces, New Mexico 88011
Wednesday, April 8, 1998 9:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said he made several turns in preparation to returning to the airport to perform some touch-and-go landings. At 6,500 feet msl, the engine lost power, and efforts to restore power were unsuccessful. The pilot attempted to land on a road, but the airplane struck a mesquite bush and nosed over. Later, the engine was functionally tested, and it operated normally. The pilot surmised that the engine had lost power due to carburetor ice. Thirty-four minutes before the accident, the temperature and dew point at El Paso International Airport (elevation 3,956 feet), located approximately 30 miles southeast, was 9 degrees and -3 degrees C. (48.2 and 26.6 degrees F.), respectively. According to the carburetor icing probability charts, these conditions were conducive to serious icing at glide power, and approached a moderate icing realm at cruise power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's improper use of (or failure to use) carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor ice, loss of engine power, and a forced landing. Related factors were: the carburetor icing (weather) conditions, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/8/1998
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 930
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LAS CRUCES
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 88011
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 4
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 Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 856 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID LRU
Elevation of weather observation facility 4454
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
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) 30
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 160
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 8 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1250
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Feb 16 2001 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3086Y
NTSB Number FTW98LA177
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 Cessna
Aircraft Model 182E
Aircraft Series Identifier 182E
Aircraft Serial Number 18254086
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Dec 18 1997 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARVIN D. JONES
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 96
Aircraft Owner City LAS CRUCES
Aircraft Owner State NM
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84004
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LRU
Departure City LAS CRUCES
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 915
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 Feb 20 2001 6:29PM
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 --