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Casualties unknown

Forced Landing After Carburetor Icing During Idle Power Descent (N88380)

Church Hill, MS, US

On February 6, 1992, a Piper J3-C65 (registration N88380) operated by Lewis B. Blackwell Iii was involved in an aviation accident near Church Hill, MS. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to properly clear the engine during an idle power descent, which resulted in carburetor icing and subsequent loss of engine power. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-06-10Data APIEditorial standards

The pilot experienced engine power loss due to carburetor icing during a descent from 2,500 feet. Despite applying carb heat, the engine failed to respond, resulting in a forced landing in a field where the aircraft collided with a ditch and nosed over.

What happened

The pilot reported that he reduced engine power to idle and applied carburetor heat while descending from an altitude of 2,500 feet. He did not clear the engine during this idle power descent as it approached 700 feet. When the aircraft leveled off, the engine only coughed and sputtered, failing to produce adequate power. The pilot was forced to land in a field. During the landing, the aircraft collided with a ditch and nosed over.

The investigation

The pilot stated that the engine loaded up during the descent. This behavior is consistent with carburetor icing occurring despite the application of heat, likely because the pilot did not clear the engine at idle power settings during the final phase of the approach.

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to properly clear the engine during an idle power descent, which resulted in carburetor icing and subsequent loss of engine power.
Engine failure

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001211X14162. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.