Accident Sequence
The accident occurred during an aborted landing attempt. The student pilot, who was also the owner and operator, was flying the approach. He moved the fuel selector to the BOTH position by feel, without visually verifying its position. The airplane landed hard and began to porpoise down the runway. The private pilot, seated in the right seat, took control from the student pilot and initiated an aborted landing. He advanced the throttle, and the airplane climbed to 80 feet when the engine lost power. The private pilot then aimed the airplane toward the ground to avoid trees situated off the departure end of the runway. The airplane impacted soft swampy terrain. The nose wheel struck the ground first and was sheared off. The airplane came to an abrupt stop and came to rest upright.
Pre-Accident and Post-Accident Information
The student pilot had refueled the airplane prior to departure and noted no mechanical anomalies on the return flight. After the accident, fuel was observed in both fuel tanks. However, due to the nose-down, wing-low attitude of the airplane on scene, a determination could not be made regarding the amount of fuel on board. Post-accident examination of the airframe and engine disclosed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure. The carburetor heat control was found in the off position.
Weather Conditions
According to the aviation routine weather report for an airport 10 statute miles from the accident site, the temperature and dew point were 45 and 41 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. According to the Carburetor Icing Probability Chart, these conditions were conducive to serious icing.