What happened
The pilot taxied the aircraft with the carburetor heat engaged. Just prior to departing from a lake, the pilot moved the carburetor heat to the off position. During the takeoff roll, at an altitude of approximately 300 feet above the water, the engine began running roughly. In response, the pilot applied carburetor heat, which caused the engine to smooth out. However, when the pilot subsequently removed the carburetor heat, the engine suffered a total loss of power. The aircraft was unable to maintain flight and landed on a gravel road located at the end of the lake. The impact of the landing caused the landing gear struts to collapse. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
An inspection of the airplane, the engine, and the carburetor was conducted following the accident. No mechanical anomalies were discovered in any of these components. Furthermore, the engine was tested on a test stand and was found to be operating normally. Analysis of the weather conditions showed that the combination of temperature and dew point at the time of the event fell within the range for moderate icing at cruise power, according to the Transport Canada carburetor icing chart.