Varga 2150A N8293J

Summary

On 8 February 2012 at about 18:00 local time, a Varga 2150A registered N8293J was involved in an accident near Frankston, Texas, 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

8 February 2012 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Frankston, Texas, United States

Coordinates

32.0775, -95.4369

Aircraft

Varga 2150A

Registration

N8293J

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jacksonville → Frankston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12FA152

1 person died.

The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice, which resulted in the pilot ditching the airplane into the lake. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision not to apply carburetor heat.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was returning from a cross-country flight. The airplane was overdue, and a search was initiated. The airplane was located in a lake short of the pilot’s destination airport. There were no reported witnesses to the accident. The airplane’s canopy was found locked in the open position, the pilot’s seat belts were unlatched, the fuel shut-off valves and ignition switch were in the “OFF” position, and the battery and avionics switches were also in the off position. The throttle was found full open, the mixture control was full rich, and the carburetor heat was in the cold position. The airplane was recovered, and the engine was test run. The engine started and ran; no preimpact abnormalities with the airplane or engine were found. The medical examiner noted the pilot’s cause of death as "drowning, hypothermia, and minor blunt force injuries.” The weather in the area was clear with light wind; however, the temperature and dew point indicated that the airplane was operating in an area that was associated with a serious risk of carburetor ice accumulation at cruise power settings. Based on the location of the destination airport, weather, and the airplane’s condition and location, it is likely that the pilot had not applied carburetor heat, and the airplane experienced a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice. The pilot then had to ditch the airplane in the lake. The loss of engine power was likely due to carburetor ice.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.