Amateur-built JUST ACFT SUPERSTOL N8794G accident near Ketchum, Idaho

Probable cause

The total loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.

NTSB analysis

During a local area flight, while the airplane was in cruise flight at an altitude of about 9,000 ft mean sea level over mountainous terrain, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to troubleshoot the problem, but he was unable to restore engine power. As a result, the pilot initiated a forced landing to a snowcovered field. During the landing roll, the main landing gear tires settled into the snow, and the airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The vertical stabilizer, rudder, and right-wing lift strut were substantially damaged.

The pilot reported that his postaccident examination of the engine and airframe found no mechanical issues. The pilot thought that the airplane “flew through a layer” that “had the right temperatures that would have quickly developed carburetor ice.”

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR22LA089 for the full record.