What happened
On October 2, 2017, at approximately 15:30 local time, a Cessna 150L was operating at the Wrocław-Szymanów airport (EPWS). The pilot completed a pre-flight inspection, engine warm-up, and taxied from the hangar to runway 14 for a local flight. After completing all pre-start procedures and a successful engine run-up, the pilot performed a circuit and landed without any aircraft malfunctions.
Following the landing, the pilot taxied back to runway 14 for a second departure. While holding at the runway threshold, the aircraft remained at minimum RPM for approximately three minutes without the carburetor heat being engaged. During the subsequent takeoff roll, after passing the decision point and rotating, the pilot experienced a loss of power and engine RPM fluctuations.
Believing the engine was experiencing carburetor icing, the pilot activated the carburetor heat; however, this did not restore engine performance, and power continued to decrease. At an altitude of approximately 70 meters Aground (AGL), the pilot decided to perform a precautionary landing straight ahead. The aircraft landed in a field using full flaps with a short landing roll. There were no injuries to the pilot and no damage to the aircraft.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation examined the sequence of events following the pilot's MAYDAY call. Emergency services, including fire departments and police, attended the scene. A breathalyzer test performed on the pilot yielded a result of 0.0%. Upon returning the aircraft to the hangar, a subsequent engine test run demonstrated that the engine was operating normally.
Findings
- The engine experienced a loss of power and RPM fluctuations during the takeoff phase.
- The pilot identified the phenomenon as carburetor icing and attempted to use carburetor heat, which proved ineffective at that stage.
- Carburetor icing occurred while the engine was idling at the runway threshold because the carburetor heat had not been applied during the three-minute wait.
- The aircraft was able to complete a safe precautionary landing in a field without structural damage.