Ercoupe 415 N415WP accident near Smithfield, Rhode Island

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat on approach in weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a forced landing to a pond.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was about midway to his destination airport in a light sport airplane when he detected the odor of hot oil, so he elected to return to his departure airport to land. While on approach to land, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power and its propeller stopped turning. After determining a nearby road was unsafe to land on due to vehicles, the pilot elected to land in a pond short of the approach end of the runway. The left wing separated from the fuselage during the landing.

Examination of the airplane's engine showed no anomalies, and the source of the odor could not be determined. Examination of the cockpit showed that the fuel control was in the ON position and that the carburetor heat was off. Weather conditions at the airport were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power. It is likely that, during the approach, the pilot failed to use carburetor heat and the engine experienced carburetor icing, which led to the loss of engine power.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN19LA213 for the full record.