Cessna 140 N140XX

Summary

On 25 August 2012 at about 17:00 local time, a Cessna 140 registered N140XX, operated by Bowen Bruce C, was involved in an accident near Spearfish, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 August 2012 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Spearfish, South Dakota, United States

Nearest airport

Black Hills Airport-Clyde Ice (SPF)

Coordinates

44.8189, -103.9886

Aircraft

Cessna 140

Registration

N140XX

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Bowen Bruce C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Philip → Spearfish

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN12LA580

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to debris lodged beneath the throttle body of the carburetor venturi.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After an uneventful cross-country flight, the solo student pilot was setting up to enter the downwind leg of the traffic pattern at his destination airport. When he applied carburetor heat, the engine rpm dropped below 1000. Unable to continue to the planned runway, the student pilot elected to land the airplane in an adjacent field. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a barbed wire fence and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed debris lodged in the throttle body beneath the carburetor venturi. The debris appeared to be remnants of aluminum tape or foil. Additionally, what appeared to be a small piece of exhaust insulation or asbestos wrap was found within the carburetor heat box. No other anomalies with the engine or airframe were discovered that could have contributed to the partial loss of engine power. It is unknown how long the foreign object debris was present below the carburetor venturi; however, the airplane had operated for about 3 flight hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was conducted 3 months before the accident flight. The presence of debris lodged beneath the carburetor venturi is consistent with the student pilot's statement that he experienced a loss of power and engine rpm when carburetor heat was applied.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.