McLeod Alan FW-190 1/2 SCALE N149AM

Summary

On 18 August 2012 at about 14:23 local time, a McLeod Alan FW-190 1/2 SCALE registered N149AM, operated by George A. Wade, was involved in an accident near Columbus, Georgia, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 August 2012 at 14:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Columbus, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Columbus Metropolitan Airport (CSG)

Coordinates

32.5189, -84.9489

Aircraft

McLeod Alan FW-190 1/2 SCALE

Registration

N149AM

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

George A. Wade

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Columbus → Columbus

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA12FA513

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering following a partial loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision not to land on the remaining runway ahead, and the partial loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was performing pattern work at the airport. After conducting a touch-and-go landing on runway 24, with more than 1,638 feet of runway ahead, the pilot turned the airplane right and advised the controller that he had a partial loss of engine power and intended to land on runway 13. Near the approach end of runway 13, the pilot banked left, stalled, pitched nose down, and impacted the ground within 157 feet of the runway threshold. A witness reported that the engine was running rough but not sputtering. Another witness stated that the engine was not developing full power, and an airframe and powerplant mechanic reported that the engine sounded as if it were operating between 1,200 and 1,300 rpm. Examination of the flight controls revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction of the power train, air induction, or fuel metering systems; however, postaccident testing of the spark plugs revealed that five exhibited weak spark, which would have been detected during an engine run-up before takeoff. About the time of the accident, the temperature and dew point were favorable for serious icing at glide power. The engine sounds described by the witnesses are consistent with carburetor icing, as is the pilot’s report of a partial loss of power after operating at a reduced power setting in the traffic pattern and then advancing the power after the touch-and-go landing. It could not be determined why the pilot did not elect to land the airplane on the remaining runway ahead.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.