Accident Overview
On April 28, 2021, at approximately 1230 central daylight time, a Cessna 150J, registration N5578G, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Madison, Arkansas. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, while the airplane was in cruise flight, the engine power reduced to idle. The engine continued running, but the pilot was unable to increase power above idle. He described the engine response as if the throttle control was disconnected. He initiated a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the nose landing gear sank into soft ground, causing the airplane to nose over. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and the right wing.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the accident site revealed no sheen of fuel on the water in the field, though a light smell of fuel was noted. The recovery crew that moved the airplane from the field reported that only ounces of fuel remained in the wing fuel tanks. After the airplane was moved, a subsequent inspection found no fuel in the gascolator. Additionally, the carburetor had broken loose from its mount; however, the throttle cable remained attached to the carburetor, and movement of the throttle control caused movement of the carburetor butterfly.
Weather Conditions
A weather observation from a nearby airport indicated a temperature of 25°C and a dew point of 20°C. According to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, Carburetor Icing Prevention, these conditions were within the range for serious icing at glide power.