Beechcraft C23 N2120W

Summary

On 14 September 2017 at about 15:30 local time, a Beechcraft C23 registered N2120W, operated by Maine Instrument Flight, was involved in an accident near Machias, Maine, 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

14 September 2017 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Machias, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Machias Valley Airport (MVM)

Coordinates

44.7031, -67.4786

Aircraft

Beechcraft C23

Registration

N2120W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Maine Instrument Flight

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Augusta → Machias

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA17LA325

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's delay in applying carburetor heat, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The private pilot descended the airplane to the destination airport but did not apply carburetor heat. While in the traffic pattern, as the airplane was turning onto a left base leg for the runway, the engine began to run roughly. The pilot then applied carburetor heat, but the engine lost total power. After realizing that the airplane was not going to glide to the runway threshold, the pilot performed a forced landing in a grassy area just short of the runway. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed and the airplane spun 180° before it came to rest, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the ignition system, fuel system, or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power. Although the Descent checklist in the pilot operating handbook for the airplane make and model instructed the pilot to use carburetor heat as required, the pilot did not apply carburetor heat before initiating the descent; rather, he waited until the engine began to run roughly. It is likely that the engine initially lost partial power after developing carburetor ice and that the pilot's delayed application of carburetor heat was ineffective at melting any accumulated ice.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.