Cessna 150 N8172S

Summary

On 11 July 2021 at about 01:10 local time, a Cessna 150 registered N8172S was involved in an accident near Elba, Alabama, United States. 2 people were 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

11 July 2021 at 01:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Elba, Alabama, United States

Nearest airport

Carl Folsom Airport (14J)

Coordinates

31.4100, -86.0903

Aircraft

Cessna 150

Registration

N8172S

Category

Airplane

Year built

1965

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ERA21LA284

Nobody was injured.

The partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in reduced climb capability and impact with trees during takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After performing flight training maneuvers for about 30 minutes, the instructor and student returned to the airport to practice short/soft field takeoffs and landings. After the first full-stop landing, the flight instructor recalled applying carburetor heat during the landing and taxi back for the next takeoff. During the student’s subsequent short field takeoff, the airspeed did not increase as expected while in ground effect and the instructor asked the student why he was not climbing. The student replied that he didn’t know and relinquished the controls to the instructor. The instructor determined that the engine was not producing enough power to maintain level flight and that they were too low to troubleshoot. As the airplane descended and the airspeed decreased, she lowered the nose and made a forced landing into trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. After the accident the flight instructor stated she thought the cause was carburetor ice. The temperature and dewpoint at the time of the accident were conducive to serious icing at glide power, and carburetor ice likely accumulated during the approach and previous landing. Although the instructor recalled applying carburetor heat during taxi there may not have been sufficient time to melt all or any accumulated carburetor ice.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.