Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Jackson County-Reynolds Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Jackson, Michigan 49202
Tuesady, January 24, 2006 8:47 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane was substantially damaged when it struck trees and terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot reported that he obtained a weather update and that the weather consisted of light snow, and forecast icing conditions below 10,000 feet. He also stated that the "potential icing conditions did not suggest the flight could not be safely conducted." About 20 minutes into the flight, while at cruise power and approximately 7,000 feet, the airplane began to lose manifold pressure and the engine began to sputter. He was " losing power, losing airspeed and losing altitude." The pilot applied full carburetor heat but the loss of engine power persisted. He subsequently executed a forced landing in a wooded area and he could not find a clearing during the forced landing attempt. During subsequent examination of the airplane, the right magneto would not produce spark. Disassembly revealed that the contact point would open and close when the magneto was rotated. The spark plugs were black and sooty. The air filter element was found to be wet and water could be wrung from it. Water was also in the filter housing. The carburetor heat control was found in the off position. A Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular (AC) stated that impact ice forms when moisture-laden air at temperatures below freezing strikes and freezes on parts of the airplane. The AC further stated that pilots should be particularly alert for such icing when flying in snow, sleet, rain, or clouds and that it is usually preferable to use carburetor heat or alternate air as an ice prevention means, rather than as a deicer, because fast forming ice which is not immediately recognized by the pilot may significantly lower the amount of heat available from the carburetor heating system. The weather conditions at the airport nearest the accident site included light snow, freezing fog, a temperature of -1 degree Celsius, and a dew point of -3 degrees Celsius.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
the blocked induction air filter due to ice accumulation which resulted in a loss of engine power. The pilot's improper weather evaluation, trees, snow, fog, and icing conditions were factors.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/24/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 847 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Jackson |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 49202 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | JACKSON COUNTY-REYNOLDS FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | JXN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 844 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 225 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | JXN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1001 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 5 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1200 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0.5 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -1 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 14 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.61 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KJXN 240756Z 20012G19KT 10SM CLR M01/M08 A29 |
| 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) | 21113 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 24 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 26 2007 9:33AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Detroit |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N3946W |
| NTSB Number | CHI06LA072 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-32-260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 32-895 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3400 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 1 2005 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 7583 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | APS AVIATION LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 2314 CAWDOR CT |
| Aircraft Owner City | Lansing |
| Aircraft Owner State | MI |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 48917 |
| 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) | Unknown |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | LAN |
| Departure City | LANSING |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 819 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SKY |
| Destination City | SANDUSKY |
| Destination State | OH |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 12 2007 12:10PM |
| User who most recently changed record | SULP |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | -- |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |