Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Springfield, Tennessee 37172
Thursday, January 19, 2012 14:55 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was flying the airplane on the second leg of a visual flight rules cross-country trip, which he flew at an altitude of 3,500 feet in order to remain below an overcast ceiling. Approaching the destination airport, the pilot began a cruise descent and, about 10 miles from the airport, began configuring the airplane for landing. The pilot reduced engine power to about 1,500 rpm, set the mixture to full rich, but did not activate the carburetor heat. The engine then lost power, and the pilot subsequently performed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the nose landing gear struck a ditch. Responders noted that fuel was recovered from the airplane following the accident; the engine was run after the accident with no anomalies noted. The temperature and dew point reported on the surface at an airport located about 21 nautical miles from the accident site were conducive to carburetor icing at both glide and cruise power settings.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot did not apply carburetor heat during approach to landing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/19/2012
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1455
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City Springfield
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37172
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 362601N
Event Location Longitude 0865353W
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 1453 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 160
Weather Observation Facility ID BNA
Elevation of weather observation facility 599
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 21
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.97
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
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29855
NTSB Notification Source FAA Southern ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2012 1:43PM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35571
NTSB Number ERA12LA148
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172I
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17256842
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 17 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2754
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name IVEY WILLIAM J
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City NASHVILLE
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37208
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name IVEY WILLIAM J
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City NASHVILLE
Operator State TN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 37208
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 DNV
Departure City Danville
Departure State IL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code JWN
Destination City Nashville
Destination State TN
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 3 2012 1:43PM
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 --