Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Cedar City, Utah 84722
Wednesday, December 19, 1990 18:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO MISS AND EVENTUALLY LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS IN IMC WITH VISIBLE SNOW AND ICE CRYSTALS. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE AT NIGHT IN AN OPEN/ROUGH FIELD AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. DURING A POST CRASH ENGINE INSPECTION, ICE WAS FOUND ABOVE THE THROTTLE VALVE AND BELOW THE DISCHARGE NOZZLE IN THE CENTER OF THE CARBURETOR THROAT AT THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE CARBURETOR WAS EQUIPPED WITH ALTERNATE AIR.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO INDUCTION SYSTEM ICING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITION, AND A BLOCKED INDUCTION AIR FILTER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/19/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1815
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CEDAR CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84722
Event Date Year 1990
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1753 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID CDC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5622
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 18
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 26
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.3
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Light
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) 1954
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 20 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 44514
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:38AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2911B
NTSB Number SEA91LA036
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model D35
Aircraft Series Identifier D35
Aircraft Serial Number D-3555
Certified Max Gross Weight 2725
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FERGUSON, MICHAEL D.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3000 VILLARD #135
Operator City HELENA
Operator State MT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 59601
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 HLN
Departure City HELENA
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1410
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SGU
Destination City ST GEORGE
Destination State UT
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --