Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
North Pole, Alaska 99705
Tuesady, September 14, 2004 18:20 AKD
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The private pilot reported that during initial climb from a private airstrip, the engine started running rough, losing power, and then quit. He said he checked the throttle and the fuel selector when the engine started to run rough, but did not apply carburetor heat because he knew he would lose engine rpm with the carburetor heat on. When the engine lost all power, he did not have enough altitude to turn back to the runway, or reach a suitable landing site, and he elected to fly the airplane straight ahead, into trees. The pilot said there were no known mechanical anomalies with the airplane prior to the flight. The nearest official weather reporting station was about 15 miles northwest of the accident site. The METAR at 1755 reported 4 miles visibility in light rain, temperature and dew point were both 36 degrees F, and the ceiling was 400 feet broken, 1000 feet overcast. At the accident site, the pilot estimated a 600 foot ceiling, 3 miles visibility, and both temperature and dew point at 36 degrees F. A carburetor icing probability chart is included in the docket of this report. It depicts the potential for carburetor icing at various temperature and dew point combinations. Using the temperature and dew point of 36 F and 36 F, respectively, the chart indicates there is a potential for serious carburetor icing at cruise and climb power settings. FAA Advisory circular 61-23C, Chapter 2, Carburetor Icing, states, in part: "...if the temperature is between -7C (20F) and 21C (70F), with visible moisture or high humidity, the pilot should be constantly on the alert for carburetor ice. During low or closed throttle setting, an engine is particularly susceptible to carburetor icing." The engine was recovered to a maintenance facility, and placed on an engine test stand. The engine and propeller did not require any repair as a result of the accident. The engine was started and run through various power settings. No mechanical anomalies were found.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat during takeoff/initial climb, which resulted in a total loss of engine power, and an in-flight collision with trees.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/14/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1820 |
| Event Time Zone | -- |
| Event City | North Pole |
| Event State | ALASKA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 99705 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| 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 | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 320 |
| Airport Elevation | 550 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Partial - limited by pilot |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1755 Atlantic Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 120 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PAEI |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 434 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | ADT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 400 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 160 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.81 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 17248 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Anchorage, ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 14 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1820 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 24 2005 9:13AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fairbanks, FSDO-01 |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1629V |
| NTSB Number | ANC04LA109 |
| 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 | 140 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 13801 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1450 |
| 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 | Jun 17 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 67 |
| Airframe Hours | 5778 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Erik Hursh |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | North Pole |
| Aircraft Owner State | AK |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 99705 |
| 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 | -- |
| Departure City | North Pole |
| Departure State | AK |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | ADT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | North Pole |
| Destination State | AK |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff - initial climb |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | -- |
| User who most recently changed record | -- |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |