Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Madison, New Hampshire 03235
Wednesday, October 15, 2008 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Approximately 50 minutes into the experimental amateur built airplane flight, the pilot began his descent from 1500 feet for landing when the engine lost partial power. He adjusted the throttle, mixture, and carburetor heat but the engine power setting went to idle and remained there. The pilot attempted to land in a field; however, the airplane’s altitude was insufficient to make the field and he landed into trees. The pilot noticed no discrepancies with the engine or engine controls prior to the partial loss of engine power. Federal Aviation Administration examination of the airplane and the engine found no evidence of any pre-accident anomalies that would have caused the partial loss of engine power. Review of the carburetor icing probability chart contained in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35 revealed “serious icing” at glide power for the temperature and dew point recorded at the nearest official weather reporting facility about the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/15/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Madison
Event State NEW HAMPSHIRE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 03235
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 434950N
Event Location Longitude 0711113W
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 1554 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 45
Weather Observation Facility ID KIZG
Elevation of weather observation facility 454
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26689
NTSB Notification Source FAA New England Region ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 8 2010 1:42PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N896JC
NTSB Number ERA09LA021
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 STEELE JOHN J
Aircraft Model ACRO SPORT
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 689
Certified Max Gross Weight 1520
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 1
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Sep 11 2008 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 712
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KAMPE KRIS A
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 273
Aircraft Owner City MADISON
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03849-0273
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name KAMPE KRIS A
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address PO BOX 273
Operator City MADISON
Operator State NH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 03849-0273
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 NH69
Departure City West Ossipee
Departure State NH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1510
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NH69
Destination City West Ossipee
Destination State NH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 8 2010 1:42PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --