Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Cameron, West Virginia 26033
Friday, March 11, 2005 14:00 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported he had been flying for about 1.5 hours, and was at an altitude of about 1,300 feet, when he encountered snow flurries. He then experienced an engine vibration and drop in RPM, which continued to worsen despite the application of carburetor heat. The pilot elected to perform a 180-degree turn toward an airport that was located about 10 miles from his position. The airplane was not able to maintain altitude, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions; however, it was noted that the spark plugs were very sooted. The weather reported at an airport that was located about 29 miles north of the accident site, included a visibility of 2.5 miles with light snow and mist, scattered clouds at 800 feet, a broken ceiling at 2,200 feet, and a temperature and dew point of 31 and 28 degrees Fahrenheit; respectively. Review of a carburetor icing probability chart, placed the reported temperature and dew point in the "moderate icing at cruise power or serious icing at glide power range. "
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, which resulted in a forced landing. A factor in this accident was the carburetor icing conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/11/2005 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1400 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Cameron |
| Event State | WEST VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 26033 |
| Event Date Year | 2005 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 394523N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0803333W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 360 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HLG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1195 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 29 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1500 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 800 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -2 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.43 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 18344 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 11 2005 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1515 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2005 12:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\JOHB |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5946W |
| NTSB Number | NYC05LA059 |
| 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 | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-160 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-3612 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2200 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Nov 1 2004 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3702 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Mark A. Gesler |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Cridersville |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 45806 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | AXV |
| Departure City | Wapakoneta |
| Departure State | OH |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1230 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | 2G4 |
| Destination City | Oakland |
| Destination State | MD |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 13 2005 6:45PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SCHL |
| 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 | -- |