Aviat A-1A N4674L

Summary

On 16 July 2004 at about 14:57 local time, a Aviat A-1A registered N4674L was involved in an incident near Fryeburg, Maine, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 2004 at 14:57

Classification

Incident

Location

Fryeburg, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Eastern Slopes Reg. Airport (IZG)

Coordinates

44.0164, -70.9806

Aircraft

Aviat A-1A

Registration

N4674L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laconia → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD04IA032

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, which resulted in a loss of engine power. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, while cruising at 700-800 feet agl, the airplane's engine began running roughly, and experienced a loss of power. The pilot enriched the mixture, then applied carburetor heat, which made the engine run rougher, so he removed it. The engine continued to lose power until level flight could no longer be maintained. The pilot opted to land in a farmer's field; however, irrigation equipment was present, so he landed on a beach along a river. The airplane touched down fast, and subsequently floated. Nearing the end of the beach, the pilot attempted to abort the landing. When the pilot advanced the throttle, the engine responded with "about 15 percent power." The wheels of the airplane contacted the water, and the airplane nosed over, and came to rest upside down in the river. Prior to the incident, the pilot had contacted the state division of aeronautics regarding the legality of landing on sandbars in that river. Ambient temperature/dewpoint conditions at the time were favorable for moderate carburetor icing at cruise power, and serious carburetor icing at glide power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.