Flight Details
The flight originated in Chino, California, with a destination of Santa Maria, California. The pilots made a refueling stop at Santa Paula, California, where they also obtained a weather briefing for the Santa Barbara and Santa Maria areas.
Weather Conditions
During the weather briefing, the pilots were provided with the scheduled 1350 hours observation. At that time, Santa Barbara reported scattered clouds at 2,500 feet and a measured overcast ceiling at 4,700 feet. Around the time of the accident, at 1615, Santa Barbara reported a measured overcast ceiling of 800 feet, visibility of 2 miles, light rain, and fog. At the accident site, a highway patrol officer reported an overcast ceiling of 700 feet, visibility of 1.5 miles, mountain tops obscured, and light rain.
Accident Sequence
The pilot reported experiencing carburetor icing and subsequently lost engine power. He performed a crash landing on the median of a major highway.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed an improper carburetor heat control, a broken airbox with missing hardware, and a collapsed air intake duct leading to the airbox.