Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Enumclaw, Washington 98022
Friday, March 30, 2007 16:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight in ambient weather conditions under which the aircraft's carburetor was susceptible to icing (temperature 10 degres C, and dew point 7 degrees C), the engine began to lose power. Although the pilot switched fuel tanks, she did not apply carburetor heat, and eventually all engine power was lost. The pilot attempted a forced landing in a nearby field, but during the landing roll the aircraft encountered soft, muddy terrain, whereupon it rocked from side to side with sufficient amplitude to result in the wingtips coming in contact with the terrain. A post-accident inspection of the engine found no anomalies that would have kept the engine from running under non-icing conditions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat during cruise flight. Factors include ambient weather conditions that were conducive to carburetor icing, and soft, muddy terrain at the location where the pilot attempted the power-off forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/30/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1645
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Enumclaw
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98022
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 471254N
Event Location Longitude 1220048W
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 1653 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID KTIW
Elevation of weather observation facility 292
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.13
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
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 Docket Number (internal use) 21660
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2007 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N968A
NTSB Number SEA07CA086
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-22
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 22-280
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 1 2006 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3763
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name James Masura
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Judith Masura
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Tacoma
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
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 KPLU
Departure City Puyallup
Departure State WA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1600
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KPLU
Destination City Puyallup
Destination State WA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 1 2007 2:34AM
User who most recently changed record STAM
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --