Cessna 150M N704HQ accident near Margarettsville, North Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot’s delayed application of carburetor heat during the descent, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.

NTSB analysis

During a flight at night and in visual meteorological conditions, after descending to about 1,600 ft mean sea level on a localizer approach, the engine began to “sputter.” The pilot applied the carburetor heat, and the engine “got a little surge of power” and he pushed the carburetor heat back in (OFF). The engine sputtered again, and he re-applied the carburetor heat. He then raised the nose to gain altitude, and the engine stopped completely. The pilot attempted to perform a forced landing to a road; however, the airplane came to rest in a tree canopy about 10 nautical miles southeast of the airport. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the right aileron, and the horizontal stabilizers.

A postaccident examination of the wreckage, and a test run of the airplane’s engine, revealed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Review of weather conditions indicated the potential for serious icing at cruise power for the reported temperature and dew point; therefore, it is likely that the loss of engine power was the result of carburetor ice.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA22LA046 for the full record.