Piper PA-18 N2553S

Summary

On 17 March 2004 at about 19:30 local time, a Piper PA-18 registered N2553S was involved in an accident near Sisters, Oregon, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 March 2004 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sisters, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

44.3167, -121.6000

Aircraft

Piper PA-18

Registration

N2553S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Corvallis → Prineville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA04LA051

2 people had minor injuries.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors include no suitable place for a forced landing, and trees in the area where the pilot found it necessary to attempt the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who had been cruising at 7,500 feet while en route, had been in a gradual descent for about 10 minutes as he proceeded toward his intended point of landing. During the descent, he realized that the engine had lost power, so he switched fuel tanks, applied carburetor heat for about 20 seconds, and moved the throttle in and out. Since these actions did not restore power to the engine, he looked for a place to execute a power-off forced landing. Because there was no suitable smooth terrain in the area upon which to land, he slowed the aircraft and flew it onto the forested terrain in a landing attitude. During that sequence the aircraft collided with several trees. A post-accident inspection of the aircraft revealed that the wire from the carburetor heat control was no longer attached to the bolt in the fitting on the carburetor heat box actuation lever. Although the wire had come out of the hole in the bolt, the crush washer, the castle nut, and the cotter pin were all still attached to the bolt. The carburetor heat control wire housing was also found to be disconnected from its mounting point. According to the pilot, the carburetor heat was tested as part of his pre-takeoff check, and at that time there was a significant drop in rpm when the carburetor heat was actuated.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.