Accident Overview
On August 28, 2010, at about 1200 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 11AC, registration N85929, operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing after experiencing a loss of engine power while on approach to Twin Lakes Airport (8A7) in Mocksville, North Carolina. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, the airplane was on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 27, a 2,943-foot-long, 50-foot-wide asphalt runway, at an altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level when a complete loss of engine power occurred. The pilot made an immediate turn toward the runway to ensure clearance over an area of tall trees. Gliding the airplane onto the runway, the pilot subsequently realized that he would not be able to stop before the end. The terrain beyond the runway sloped downward steeply, and he elected to turn into bushes located off the right side of the runway. The airplane contacted the bushes and flipped over before coming to rest, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing, fuselage, and empennage.
Post-Accident Examination
An examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not reveal any preimpact malfunctions. The pilot stated that he believed the loss of engine power was due to carburetor icing and that he had applied carburetor heat just prior to the loss of power.
Aircraft and Weather Information
According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1946 and equipped with a Teledyne Continental Motors A-65-8 series, 65-horsepower engine. It had been operated for about 10 hours since its most recent annual inspection, performed on March 20, 2010.
The reported weather at an airport located about 11 miles southeast of the accident site at 1159 was: wind calm; visibility 10 statute miles; scattered clouds at 3,200 feet; temperature 28 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 19 degrees C; altimeter 30.22 inches of mercury. Review of an FAA carburetor icing envelope chart revealed that the reported temperature and dew point were within the 'serious icing (glide power)' area of the chart.