Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sandwich, Illinois 60548
Sunday, July 7, 2013 10:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that as the airplane was descending through about 4,700 feet mean sea level, the engine began to run rough and eventually lost complete power. He noted that the engine monitoring system indicated that there was no fuel flow, despite the airplane having about 16 gallons of automobile fuel still available. The pilot reported that his several attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful. He requested radar vectors from air traffic control to the nearest airport; however, he was unable to reach the airfield, so the pilot made a forced landing to a cornfield. A postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical or fuel system anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation, and the engine subsequently started and ran without any anomalies. Additional examination of the fuel system revealed that an ample amount of uncontaminated automobile fuel was available. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice during engine operations at descent engine power settings. Additionally, the pilot’s use of automobile fuel increased the likelihood of carburetor ice accumulation because it is more volatile and therefore absorbs more heat from the mixing air when vaporizing for engine consumption. The pilot stated that he did not apply carburetor heat after the loss of engine power. It is likely that the pilot’s use of automobile fuel and his flight in weather conditions that were conducive for carburetor icing resulted in the formation of carburetor ice during the airplane’s descent.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to recognize the formation of carburetor ice during cruise descent and apply carburetor heat, which resulted in the total loss of engine power.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/7/2013
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1050
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Sandwich
Event State ILLINOIS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 60548
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 413818N
Event Location Longitude 0883840W
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 1052 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 43
Weather Observation Facility ID KARR
Elevation of weather observation facility 712
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
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) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KARR 071552Z 21010KT 10SM CLR 27/19 A3002 RM
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) 31946
NTSB Notification Source Central Region Duty Officer, L
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 5 2013 4:24PM
User who most recently changed record bowl
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N549LS
NTSB Number CEN13LA398
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Flight Design GmbH
Aircraft Model CTLS
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 07-11-19
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
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 Jan 9 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 553
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name Daniel E. Mayworm
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Mundelein
Aircraft Owner State IL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 60060-6012
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Daniel E. Mayworm
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Mundelein
Operator State IL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 60060-6012
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 1H0
Departure City St. Louis
Departure State MO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 912
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code UGN
Destination City Waukegan
Destination State IL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 11 2013 12:39PM
User who most recently changed record foxt
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 --