Fresno Chandler Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fresno, California 93706
Thursday, August 27, 1992 8:40 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE ON DOWNWIND HE ENDED UP CLOSE TO ANOTHER AIRCRAFT AND HE EXTENDED HIS PATTERN TO IMPROVE THE SEPARATION. THE ENGINE LOST POWER ON FINAL APPROACH AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO TREES AND A HOUSE. FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTORS EXAMINED THE AIRCRAFT, AND, AFTER REMOVAL FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE TO THE AIRPORT, SUPERVISED A TEST RUN OF THE ENGINE. USING THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND EXERCISED THROUGHOUT ITS NORMAL POWER RANGE FROM IDLE TO FULL POWER, WITH MAGNETO AND CARBURETOR HEAT CHECKS WITHIN LIMITS. THE AVIATION SURFACE WEATHER OBSERVATION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTING A TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT OF 75 AND 56 DEGREES RESPECTIVELY. REVIEW OF A CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART REVEALS THAT THE REPORTED TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT FALLS WITHIN AN AREA OF THE CHART DEFINED AS 'SERIOUS ICING GLIDE POWER OR MODERATE ICING CRUISE POWER.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICING AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 840
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City FRESNO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93706
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FRESNO CHANDLER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FCH
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 120
Airport Elevation 278
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 850 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 30
Weather Observation Facility ID FAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 333
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2720
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1005
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47628
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:13PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3015S
NTSB Number LAX92LA366
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 150G
Aircraft Series Identifier 150G
Aircraft Serial Number 15066915
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Jul 6 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 99
Airframe Hours 6047
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name APPLIED DETECTOR
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2325 E. MCKINLEY AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City FRESNO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 93703
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name APPLIED AERO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 548 W. KEARNEY BLVD.
Operator City FRESNO
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 93703
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 800
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 3
Runway Length 3202
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --