Incident Overview
A student pilot was conducting a training flight when the accident occurred. The aircraft approached from the north on the base leg to runway 9. During the approach, the student pilot stated that he applied carburetor heat and set the mixture to rich. As the flight turned final and the pilot added power, the engine did not respond. The aircraft subsequently crashed into trees short of the runway and then descended to the ground.
Post-Accident Examination
After the accident, the engine was run and operated normally. Additionally, the carburetor heat system was checked and found to operate normally. These tests indicate that the engine and its systems were functional at the time of the post-accident inspection.
Pilot Awareness
According to the general manager of the flight school, who flew with the student, the student stated he was not aware that carburetor heat should be applied when the engine RPM is below the green arc. This suggests a potential gap in the student's knowledge regarding proper carburetor heat usage.
Weather and Icing Conditions
According to the icing probability chart, conditions were favorable for serious icing at glide power with a float-type carburetor. This indicates that carburetor icing could have been a factor in the engine's failure to respond during the approach.