Pre-Takeoff and Power Loss
According to the investigation, the airplane remained near the approach end of the runway for approximately 10 minutes before departure. During this period, the pilot did not apply carburetor heat to the engine. When the pilot commenced the takeoff roll, the engine did not produce full power.
The airplane climbed to an altitude between 250 and 300 feet above the runway level before beginning a descent. It subsequently struck trees and collided with terrain roughly 1,500 feet beyond the departure end of the runway. The pilot reported that the accident could have been avoided if carburetor heat had been applied before takeoff while waiting for landing traffic.
Environmental Conditions
At the time of the incident, the ambient temperature was 9 degrees Celsius and the dew point was 1 degree Celsius. According to a standard icing probability chart, these atmospheric conditions fall within the range considered favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.
Aircraft Examination
The pilot stated that no mechanical malfunctions or failures were experienced during the flight. A subsequent examination of the engine revealed no evidence of internal mechanical defects. However, the mixture control cable was found to be improperly rigged. When the cockpit mixture control was set to the full rich position, the mixture control arm on the carburetor was positioned between the midrange and two-thirds of the way toward the idle cutoff position. The investigation was unable to establish the significance of this incorrect rigging in relation to the loss of engine power.