Incident Overview
On November 18, 2017, at approximately 1110 eastern standard time, a Piper PA28-140, registration N8758N, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Bladenboro, North Carolina. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted under day visual meteorological conditions with no flight plan filed. The local personal flight had departed from Bladenboro Airport (3W6).
Pilot Actions
According to the pilot’s interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, after taking off from runway 20, he circled to land on runway 02 but then initiated a go-around. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for runway 02, the engine experienced a partial loss of power. The pilot applied carburetor heat, but it did not restore full engine power. Unable to reach the runway, he chose to land in a small field.
Aircraft Examination
An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found damage to the engine mounts and wing leading edges. Manual rotation of the propeller produced a spark on all spark plug leads. Both fuel tanks contained more than half-full of uncontaminated fuel. A mud dauber nest was discovered inside the carburetor heat control box, which prevented the carburetor heat valve from opening fully.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The four-seat, low-wing airplane was manufactured in 1969 and equipped with a Lycoming O-360, 180-horsepower reciprocating engine. Its most recent annual inspection was completed on September 26, 2017. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on March 9, 2015, at which time he reported 60 hours of total flight experience.
Weather Conditions
Weather reported at Columbus County Municipal Airport (CPC), Whiteville, North Carolina, located about 16 miles south of the accident site, included wind from 180° at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, a broken ceiling at 5,500 ft, temperature 18°C, dew point 10°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.03 inches of mercury. An FAA carburetor icing probability chart indicated that the temperature and dew point conditions were conducive to the formation of serious icing at glide power.