Incident Overview
While on short final approach, the aircraft's engine began to run roughly. In response, the pilot moved the carburetor heat control to the on position. Immediately thereafter, the engine ceased operating. The pilot executed a landing short of the runway, and during the landing roll, the aircraft struck a chain link fence.
Post-Inspection Findings
Following the incident, mechanics inspected the aircraft but were unable to determine a reason for the engine failure. However, an anomaly was discovered regarding the carburetor heat system. When the carburetor heat control was placed in the full off position, it was found that the carburetor heat was actually open by approximately one-third. This discrepancy indicates that the carburetor heat was not fully closed when the control was set to off, though the source does not explicitly link this to the engine failure.
Summary of Events
The pilot attempted to mitigate the rough engine operation by engaging carburetor heat, but the engine stopped completely. The subsequent forced landing resulted in a collision with a fence. No further information regarding the aircraft, location, or personnel was provided in the source material.