Introduction
An airplane struck a building during a forced landing after the engine lost power while the pilot was on a landing approach.
Flight Events
The pilot reported that when approximately 6.5 to 7 miles from the destination, he switched to the right fuel tank, which he described as the "fullest." As he neared the base leg of the traffic pattern and made a power reduction, the engine stopped developing power. The pilot verified the carburetor heat and magneto switch positions and then attempted to restart the engine. He stated that he had applied carburetor heat at the midpoint on downwind. The pilot noted that he was in an area with "too many homes between [his] location and the [airport]."
Investigation Findings
Examination of the airframe, engine, and systems revealed no anomalies that could be identified as existing prior to impact.
Weather Conditions
The weather at the destination airport reported a temperature of 9 degrees Celsius and a dew point of 1 degree Celsius. According to a carburetor icing probability chart, these temperature and dew point values fall within the range for serious icing at descent power or moderate icing at cruise power.