Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kodiak, Alaska 99615
Saturday, July 6, 2013 14:30 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot was flying a potential buyer of the airplane on a pre-buy inspection flight. Just after leveling the airplane in cruise flight, the engine lost power momentarily. He applied carburetor heat, and the engine regained normal power. While returning to the airport, he turned the carburetor heat back off, and then on again, and the engine again lost power. He stated that this time, the engine power could not be restored, and with no suitable landing sites available within gliding distance, he ditched the airplane into the water paralleling the shoreline. During the ditching, the airplane nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. Based on the temperature and dew point at the time of the accident, the conditions were favorable for serious carburetor icing at any power setting.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot's failure to continue the use of carburetor heat after experiencing carburetor ice.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/6/2013
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone --
Event City Kodiak
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99615
Event Date Year 2013
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 575012N
Event Location Longitude 1522200W
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 1553 Atlantic Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID PADQ
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation ADT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2300
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1300
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR PADQ 062153Z 14012KT 10SM FEW013 BKN023 BKN0
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 31616
NTSB Notification Source ANC 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 Jul 26 2013 5:55PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9118E
NTSB Number ANC13CA062
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 AERONCA
Aircraft Model 11AC
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 11AC-753
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 Sep 9 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 1086
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C91-A
Aircraft Owner Name POLUM TYLER B
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City KODIAK
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 99615-3120
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name POLUM TYLER B
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City KODIAK
Operator State AK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 99615-3120
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PAKD
Departure City Kodiak
Departure State AK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1415
Departure Time Zone ADT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code PAKD
Destination City Kodiak
Destination State AK
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 26 2013 5:55PM
User who most recently changed record stam
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 --