Cessna 150 N9230U

Summary

On 19 August 2016 at about 17:49 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N9230U, operated by Aptis Aviation, was involved in an accident near Littleton, Massachusetts, 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

19 August 2016 at 17:49

Classification

Accident

Location

Littleton, Massachusetts, United States

Nearest airport

Minute Man Air Field (6B6)

Coordinates

42.5239, -71.4917

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N9230U

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

1

Operator

Aptis Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sanford → Stow

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA16LA300

Nobody was injured.

A total loss of engine power during descent for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was conducting a solo cross-country flight and filled the airplane's fuel tanks before departing on the first leg of the flight. While descending from 4,500 ft mean sea level approaching the destination airport, engine power decreased from 2,500 to 1,300 rpm. The student advanced the mixture to full rich and applied carburetor heat; however, there was no change in engine performance. Soon after, the engine experienced a total loss of power and the student performed a forced landing to a field. About 10 gallons of fuel were drained from the airplane during recovery. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any evidence of preaccident mechanical malfunction or abnormalities. A review of a carburetor icing chart revealed that the atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to icing at glide and cruise power; however, since engine performance did not improve after the application of carburetor heat, it is unlikely that the loss of engine power was the result of carburetor ice.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.