Accident Overview
On May 19, 2015, at 1830 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22, registration N118U, collided with terrain during an off-airport landing near St. Charles County Smartt Airport (SET) in St. Charles, Missouri. The private pilot and passenger were not injured, and the aircraft was substantially damaged. The flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Tuscola Airport (K96) in Tuscola, Illinois, at 1720.
Flight Details
The pilot reported that approximately 15 miles from the destination, he switched from the right fuel tank, which contained about 7 gallons of fuel, to the left fuel tank, which contained about 12 gallons. While approaching the airport, he turned on the fuel boost pump, reduced the throttle to 20 inches of manifold pressure, applied carburetor heat, and began descending to traffic pattern altitude. On the downwind leg, he reduced engine power to idle and applied flaps.
Emergency Landing
On the base leg, the pilot advanced the throttle but the engine remained at idle power. He turned off the carburetor heat, adjusted the throttle, and cycled the boost pump, but was unable to regain engine power. Unable to reach the runway, the pilot chose a plowed field for landing. Upon touchdown, the airplane contacted a ditch at the end of the field, crossed over a road, and came to rest in another field. The right main gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and right main wing struts.
Post-Accident Examination
A post-accident examination of the engine was conducted under the supervision of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The inspector reported that the fuel level in the right fuel tank was low, while the left tank was about half full. The bent propeller was replaced with a serviceable one, and the engine was started and ran normally. The temperature and dewpoint at SET at the time of the accident were 63°F and 46°F, respectively. According to the FAA SAID CE-09-35 "Carburetor Icing Prevention" chart, serious carburetor icing could be expected at glide power. However, the pilot reported that he had applied carburetor heat during the descent and that it was on when the engine would not regain power.