Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Private Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Holcomb, Kansas 67851
Friday, August 3, 2012 9:19 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot noted that the engine rpm during the takeoff was about 30 rpm lower than normal but was still within the normal operating range. He reported that the airplane's engine then lost partial power as it climbed through about 50 feet above ground level after takeoff. After the airplane lost power, the pilot attempted to drop the chemical load to remain airborne; however, the airplane impacted an open field about 1 mile from the departure airstrip. Subsequent examinations of the airplane’s engine and its systems did not reveal any anomalies that would explain the loss of engine power. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to carburetor icing at glide and cruise power and were within the range of susceptibility for serious icing at glide power. Glide power settings yield a throttle angle similar to low power settings used for taxi operations; therefore, it is likely that the airplane’s carburetor accumulated ice after engine run-up and during taxi, which was not detected by the pilot. The pilot did not mention using carburetor heat during the pretakeoff engine run-up or during the power loss event; thus, based on the available information, it is likely that the airplane's engine lost power due to carburetor icing.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power shortly after takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/3/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 919 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Holcomb |
| Event State | KANSAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 67851 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 375910N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1005921W |
| Event Location Airport | Private airstrip |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | PVT |
| 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 | 2800 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Unknown |
| Time of the weather observation | 854 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 110 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | GCK |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2891 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| 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) | 29.91 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32051 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA- ACE-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 8 2013 9:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N2008S |
| NTSB Number | CEN12LA514 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 137: Agricultural |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | WEATHERLY AVIATION CO INC |
| Aircraft Model | 620B |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 1559 |
| 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 | Oct 10 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 3353 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | FARMERS AVIATION INC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | HOLCOMB |
| Aircraft Owner State | KS |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 67851-9016 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | FARMERS AVIATION INC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | HOLCOMB |
| Operator State | KS |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 67851-9016 |
| Operator Code | RBIG |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| 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) | Aerial Application |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PVT |
| Departure City | Holcomb |
| Departure State | KS |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 919 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | PVT |
| Destination City | Holcomb |
| Destination State | KS |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 8 2013 9:14AM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| 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 | -- |