Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Harbor Beach, Michigan 48441
Tuesady, July 26, 2011 16:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot stated that he was flying over water at an altitude of 3,000 feet mean sea level when the engine began to lose power. He contacted flight watch and informed them of the situation. His efforts to restart the engine by applying carburetor heat and full mixture were unsuccessul. He said that engine power was regained just prior to ditching the airplane. He exited the airplane which sank soon after contacting the water. The pilot was rescued 18 hours later. A review of the Federal Aviation Administration Carburetor Icing chart revealed the conditions were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. The pilot reported he did not recognize the symptoms of carburetor ice and that he should have applied the carburetor heat sooner.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delay in using carburetor heat while operating in carburetor icing conditions, resulting in carburetor ice and subsequent partial loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/26/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Harbor Beach
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 48441
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 435058N
Event Location Longitude 0821824W
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 1655 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID BAX
Elevation of weather observation facility 766
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 17
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 5000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
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) 29.87
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 28901
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 19 2011 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3050X
NTSB Number CEN11CA516
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150F
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 15064450
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 9 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 3801
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TRAPP MICHAEL W
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City GOUVERNEUR
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 13642-1512
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name TRAPP MICHAEL W
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City GOUVERNEUR
Operator State NY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 13642-1512
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 K16
Departure City Gouverneur
Departure State NY
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BAX
Destination City Bad Axe
Destination State MI
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 13 2011 9:21AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --