Incident Overview
The airplane sustained damage during a forced landing on a snow-covered field after the pilot experienced a loss of engine power while in cruise flight. According to the pilot, the power loss occurred approximately 40 minutes into the flight. The pilot attempted to restore power by applying carburetor heat, adjusting power settings, switching fuel tanks, and changing mixture settings, but these actions were unsuccessful. The pilot then committed to landing.
Landing and Damage
During the landing attempt, the airplane struck a powerline and brush. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the aircraft came to rest nose-down on a road. The pilot reported that the engine never fully quit but failed to develop power.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed no contamination. An engine run conducted after the accident found no anomalies. Weather data from a nearby station recorded the temperature at 3 degrees Celsius and the dewpoint at -6 degrees Celsius. According to a carburetor icing chart, these conditions fall within the range of susceptibility for carburetor icing.