Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Burlington, Wisconsin 53105
Friday, December 4, 1998 12:25 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot said that he was in a visual descent to land when the airplane's engine lost most of its power. The pilot applied carburetor heat, but the engine lost more power. The pilot elected to perform an emergency landing on a lake. The pilot said that the lake was not long enough to stop the airplane before coming in contact with the shore. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. Weather conditions reported at Kenosha, Wisconsin, 14 miles east-southeast of the accident site were overcast ceiling of 200 feet, 1 mile visibility, temperature 52 degrees Fahrenheit, and dew point 52 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the Department of Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration/CT-82/44 Publication: Light Aircraft Piston Engine Carburetor Ice Detector/Warning Device Sensitivity/ Effectiveness, June 1982, Carburetor Icing Probability Chart; these conditions places the probability for carburetor icing in the 'serious icing at cruise power' area of the chart.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Carburetor ice, the pilot's inadequate pre-flight planning/preparation resulting in his flight into poor weather conditions, and the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat. Factors contributing to this accident were the carburetor icing conditions, the rising embankment at the shoreline and the trees.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/1998
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City BURLINGTON
Event State WISCONSIN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 53105
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 12
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 1229 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 110
Weather Observation Facility ID ENW
Elevation of weather observation facility 721
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 379
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 709
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1702
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:55AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N395AC
NTSB Number CHI99LA048
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 Bellanca
Aircraft Model 8GCBC
Aircraft Series Identifier 8GCBC
Aircraft Serial Number 395-98
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 8 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 98
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SEAIR, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3511 SILVERSIDE RD. STE 105
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
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 RCR
Departure City ROCHESTER
Departure State IN
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 96C
Destination City
Destination State WI
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
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 --