Shannon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fredericksburg, Virginia 22408
Saturday, February 23, 2002 18:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot flew the airplane for 1 hour and 40 minutes, with no deficiencies noted. The pilot entered the airport traffic pattern, reduced power, and applied carburetor heat. When he turned onto the final approach course, he reduced the throttle to idle and the engine stopped producing power. The pilot was unable to glide to the runway, and performed a forced landing to a railroad bed. Examination of the airplane revealed that actuation of the carburetor heat control would not move the control arm on the air control box. Further examination revealed a kink in the control cable, about an inch above an unauthorized repair/modification to the control arm-cable connection. According to the owner, no repairs or modifications were made to the air control box actuating system since he purchased the airplane, nor was the modification noted or corrected during a recent annual inspection. Atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing at glide or cruise power settings.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The unauthorized modification of the air control box by unknown persons, and the failure of subsequent mechanics to note and correct the deficiency. Factors included the carburetor icing conditions and the unsuitable terrain mandated by the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/23/2002
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1825
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Fredericksburg
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22408
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381600N
Event Location Longitude 0772657W
Event Location Airport SHANNON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EZF
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 240
Airport Elevation 85
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1821 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID EZF
Elevation of weather observation facility 85
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 70
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) -1085
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13388
NTSB Notification Source EROC
NTSB Notification Date Feb 23 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1930
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record May 13 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Richmond, Virginia

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3832V
NTSB Number IAD02LA034
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 170
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 18690
Certified Max Gross Weight 2200
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 Jul 20 2001 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 3276.2
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Robert E. Waring
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Orlando
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32817
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code EZF
Departure City Fredericksburg
Departure State VA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1645
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 Approach - VFR pattern - final approach
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Nov 19 2002 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record COXP
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 06
Runway Length 2900
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --