What happened
Following the completion of banner tow operations, the pilot initiated a left climbing turn. During this climb, the aircraft lost engine power. After being unable to restore power to the engine, the pilot maneuvered the airplane to the right, heading toward the approach end of runway 27 on a 120-degree magnetic heading. The aircraft landed across the runway surface, subsequently rolled into the grass, and collided with a fence. The pilot was not injured.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions included winds from 360 degrees at 8 knots, visibility of 10 miles, a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius, and a dewpoint of 26 degrees Celsius.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed that the wings had detached, the main landing gear had collapsed, and there was damage to both the engine and the propeller. While the fuel tanks were breached during the event, more than 12 gallons of fuel were recovered from the left tank. An examination of the engine did not disclose any mechanical anomalies. Additionally, the pilot did not report using carburetor heat during the flight.
Findings
Review of icing probability curves indicated that atmospheric conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice.