Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Rostraver Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Butler, Pennsylvania 16001
Monday, December 8, 2003 17:55 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During cruise flight at 3,000 feet msl, the engine began to sputter, and lost all power. The student pilot completed the emergency checklist items, which included the application of carburetor heat. Subsequently, the student pilot was able to restart the engine. The engine then ran for approximately 15-20 seconds, but lost all power a second time; shortly after the student pilot had turned the carburetor heat off. The student pilot again was able to restart the engine using emergency procedures, which included turning the carburetor heat back on. The engine restarted and ran at a slower rpm for approximately 1 minute, before losing total power for a third time. The student pilot then performed a forced landing into trees. Review of the aircraft and fueling records revealed that the airplane had flown 3.3 hours since being completely fueled. Review of a make and model Pilot's Operating Handbook revealed that at 65 percent power, the airplane's endurance was approximately 3.9 hours. Review of the FAA Carburetor Icing Probability Chart revealed that the airplane engine was susceptible to icing at glide and cruise power in the reported weather conditions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, which resulted in a total loss of engine power during cruise flight. A factor was carburetor icing conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/8/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1755 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Butler |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 16001 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 405317N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0795902W |
| Event Location Airport | Rostraver Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | FWQ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 35 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 5 |
| Airport Elevation | 1228 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1755 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 180 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BTP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1248 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 7 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Night |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 9500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -4 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| 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) | 30.11 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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) | 16599 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern Region Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 8 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1907 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 28 2004 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny, PA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N94820 |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA045 |
| 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 | 152 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 15285794 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1670 |
| 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 | Oct 16 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 75 |
| Airframe Hours | 5353 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | William Hoffman |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Somerset |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 15501 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Aero Executive Services Inc. |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Belle Vernon |
| Operator State | PA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 15012 |
| 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) | Instructional |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | ERI |
| Departure City | Erie |
| Departure State | PA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1701 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | FWQ |
| Destination City | Monongahela |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 25 2004 12:55PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |