Piper PA18 N8566D

Summary

On 8 March 2019 at about 18:45 local time, a Piper PA18 registered N8566D was involved in an accident near Rushville, Nebraska, 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

8 March 2019 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Rushville, Nebraska, United States

Coordinates

42.4592, -102.5011

Aircraft

Piper PA18

Registration

N8566D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1957

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Rushville → Rushville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA19CA160

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to the accumulation of carburetor ice, which resulted in a forced landing on rough terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during flight, the engine lost partial power. He applied carburetor heat and adjusted the mixture, but the engine did not respond. The engine continued to lose power, and the pilot conducted a forced landing on rough terrain, during which the right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the temperature about the time of the accident was 30°F and that the dew point was 34°F. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of serious carburetor icing at cruise or climb power settings. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had "checked for carb ice sooner."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.