Jensen Airfield Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rosemount, Minnesota 55068
Saturday, October 3, 2009 15:47 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he started the engine and waited for about 10 minutes for the oil temperature to rise before he departed from a grass airstrip. During takeoff, he reported that the airplane “felt slow.” He turned the carburetor heat on, but the engine lost partial power and the airplane "started to sink." He banked to the left to avoid trees. He reported losing altitude, and then the airplane experienced a “stall spin to the left,” impacting a mature corn field. Postaccident inspection of the engine and airframe revealed no preexisting anomalies that would preclude normal operation of the airplane. The observed temperature was 11 degrees Celsius (C) and the dew point was 6 degrees C. The Transport Canada Carburetor Icing chart indicated that at the observed weather conditions the engine was susceptible to “Serious Icing – Any Power.”

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delayed use of carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/3/2009
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1547
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Rosemount
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55068
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Jensen Airfield
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 1553 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 320
Weather Observation Facility ID MSP
Elevation of weather observation facility 841
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 3400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2100
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) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 7
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 --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
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 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26741
NTSB Notification Source FAA-AGL-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 25 2010 6:17PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N70585
NTSB Number CEN10LA002
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 J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17594
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 7 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2068
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BRIAN B DOYLE
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City LAKEVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55044
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name BRIAN B DOYLE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City LAKEVILLE
Operator State MN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 55044
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 --
Departure City Rosemount
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Rosemount
Destination State MN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 18 2010 12:44PM
User who most recently changed record saua
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 --