Introduction
An airplane collided with trees during a forced landing while in the traffic pattern at a private airstrip. The pilot reported that after departing the airstrip, he attempted to contact approach control located 21 statute miles away to activate his instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. He stated that he could hear approach control, but they could not hear him, indicating a radio communication problem.
Events
While in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the pilot decided to return to the airstrip. During the traffic pattern for landing, the engine lost power. The pilot believed he had encountered carburetor ice and applied carburetor heat, but was unable to restore engine power. The airplane subsequently contacted trees and came to rest in a heavily wooded area near the airport. The pilot remained in the airplane overnight and found his way out of the woods the following morning.
Weather Conditions
The closest weather reporting station, located 21 miles from the accident site, reported conditions seven minutes before the accident: visibility of 1-1/4 miles with light rain and mist, scattered clouds at 400 feet, and a broken cloud ceiling at 700 feet.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident inspection revealed that the venturi on the air inlet side of the carburetor was blocked by a 5-1/2 inch long piece of heat shield material, covering approximately 70 percent of the inlet area. The source of this material could not be determined, as it was not used anywhere on the airplane. The last annual inspection of the airframe and engine had been performed approximately 60 flight hours prior to the accident.