Cessna 150 N23473 accident near Snow Hill, North Carolina

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane with no anomalies noted; the airplane had about 13 gallons of fuel. He departed on a personal cross-country flight and, about 35 minutes after takeoff while flying at 3,000 ft mean sea level, the engine suddenly lost total power. He immediately applied carburetor heat and left it activated for the remainder of the flight. His attempts to restore engine power were not successful. He turned toward a nearby airport but executed a forced landing in a field, during which the airplane nosed over. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed an adequate supply of uncontaminated fuel, and examination of the engine and engine systems revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Although the weather conditions were favorable for the formation of serious carburetor ice at cruise power setting, the pilot did not report a gradual reduction in power as would likely be expected with carburetor ice accrual over time at cruise power. Thus, the reason for the reported total loss of engine power could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and engine systems did not reveal any evidence of mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA17LA045 for the full record.