Incident Overview
An airplane experienced a loss of engine power while in flight. The pilot attempted to return to the departure airport but was unable to reach the runway. The aircraft made a forced landing in an open field, contacting rough terrain approximately 3,000 feet short of the runway. Upon touchdown, a wing and the main landing gear separated from the airplane.
Pilot Actions
After the loss of power, the pilot activated the carburetor heat but reported it had no effect. He turned the airplane back toward the airport. When it became evident that he would not make the runway, he executed the forced landing.
Environmental Conditions
A plot of the temperature and dew point on a carburetor icing chart indicated that the possibility existed for carburetor icing conditions at glide and cruise power settings at the time of the incident.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane. He acknowledged that he should have checked more frequently for carburetor ice during the flight.