Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hayfork, California 96041
Saturday, January 22, 2011 12:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, while en route on a cross-country flight, the weight-shift-control airplane's engine exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature began to drop. The pilot believed this was due to carburetor icing. The airplane was not equipped with carburetor heat; therefore, no corrective action could be taken. The engine subsequently lost power, and the pilot performed a forced landing on heavily wooded mountainous terrain. The wing structure was substantially damaged during the forced landing, and both main landing gear separated from the fuselage. A review of a carburetor icing chart indicated that the temperature and dewpoint were conducive to the formation of serious icing at cruise power. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power during cruise flight, while operating in carburetor icing conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/22/2011
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Hayfork
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 96041
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403324N
Event Location Longitude 1232213W
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 1155 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID KF62
Elevation of weather observation facility 2321
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 5
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.19
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 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29054
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2011 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4668L
NTSB Number WPR11LA104
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bice
Aircraft Model Air Creation GTE
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number T0231
Certified Max Gross Weight 990
Aircraft Category --
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Nov 14 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 50
Airframe Hours 437
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name Carl Bice
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Bayside
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95524
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Carl Bice
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Bayside
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 95524
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 FOT
Departure City Fortuna
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code H47
Destination City Hayfork
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 6 2011 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --