What happened
During an air show, a commercial pilot was performing aerial rides in a Stinson aircraft. During the fourth takeoff of the event, the aircraft climbed to approximately 100 feet above the runway when the engine stopped producing power. The pilot attempted to rectify the issue by adjusting the fuel selector and the carburetor heat, but the engine failed to restart. The subsequent forced landing resulted in the aircraft striking wires and terrain, eventually coming to rest in an inverted position. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
Investigators noted a strong odor of fuel and evidence of spillage at the accident site, though no mechanical anomalies were identified during the examination. When the right fuel tank was serviced with fuel, the engine started immediately, accelerated, and ran continuously without interruption.
An analysis using a carburetor icing probability chart indicated that the ambient conditions present during the accident could have caused serious icing at glide power. Additionally, during the investigation of a separate Stinson accident involving the same series Franklin 6A-4165 engine under similar weather conditions, a mechanic reported that this engine type is particularly susceptible to carburetor icing on the ground due to the specific position of the air intake manifold. Following an engine runup, the carburetor box was found to be cold to the touch upon shutdown.