The commercial pilot and passenger were departing on a local personal flight in the Aeronca 7AC from the airport in Hanson, Massachusetts.
A review of airport security video showed the airplane level off about 100 feet above ground level as it passed the departure end of the runway. It then entered a left turn and crashed into the ground.
The pilot died in the crash, while the passenger was seriously injured.
Damage to the propeller blades was consistent with a lack of engine power at the time of impact. However, examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal engine operation.
Based on the temperature and dew point about the time of the accident, the conditions were favorable for serious carburetor icing at a glide power setting.
Video showed that the airplane operated on the ground at an idle engine power setting for about seven minutes before takeoff, and it is probable that carburetor ice formed during this time, subsequently resulting in the loss of engine power during the initial climb.
Following the loss of power, the pilot attempted to turn back to the runway with insufficient altitude and, during the turn, failed to maintain airspeed, resulting in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, an aerodynamic stall/spin, and impact with terrain.
Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing, the pilot’s decision to turn back to the runway shortly after takeoff, and his failure to maintain airspeed during the turn, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, and subsequent aerodynamic stall.
NTSB Identification: ERA18FA230
This August 2018 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.
I was taught in 1951 in a Champ, that if you experience a power failure on take off you never try to turn back to the run way. It is a sure way to invite a stall/spin event, in stead find any reasonable straight ahead area to set it down.
In this case, it seems the pilot should have recognized that full power was not developing and he /she should have immediately aborted the take-off.
I always check carb heat during my run to make sure that it is functioning properly. If there was carb ice in the system at this point during my run up, It would become obvious and could be cleared. Perhaps the pilot either didn’t do a run up, or neglected to make sure carb heat was working.
It was taught in flying school ‘ that if you have not the alltitude do not
turn back to the airstrip
How could a commercial pilot make that mistake.
Poor headline on your part…..carb icing may have been a contributing factor…. clearly it was
The POOR choice of decisions by the PIC that resulted in his death…FAR 91.3….If you are able to determine exactly when and where your engine is going to fail…then my conversation is done…if not then you must be able to exercise FAR 91.3 in a split
second …your job is not to die in an aircraft…physics operates 24×7 and I have never seen any aircraft go up after an engine failure….again POOR HEADLINE
Wouldn’t have thought a carb could ice that badly from throttle plate idle position to full throttle in the length of the runway.
“at an idle engine power setting for about seven minutes before takeoff, and it is probable that carburetor ice formed during this time”