This June 2007 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Aircraft: Bellanca Citabria.
Location: Basin, Wyo.
Injuries: 1 Serious.
Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: The pilot, on final approach for landing, decided he was too high to execute a proper landing, so he added power and initiated a go-around. Instead of climbing, the engine lost power. The airplane stalled, and came down in some trees.
An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies, but investigators concluded that the weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive for “serious icing at glide power.”
Probable cause: Carburetor icing causing a partial loss of engine power, and the pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control, leading to the inadvertent stall.