What happened
On Wednesday, June 23, 1999, at 09:45, a Piper PA-11 (registration F-BFFP) was conducting a flight for club purposes near Nuits-Saint-Georges. After approximately two hours and fifteen minutes of flight time, while cruising at 3,000 feet, the pilot noticed a rapid decrease in engine power.
In an attempt to recover power, the pilot moved the carburetor heat control to the hot position and then quickly returned it to its original position. The pilot also attempted to clear the engine by performing several full-throttle and idle cycles. Despite these efforts, the engine stalled, forcing the pilot to perform an emergency landing in a field. During the landing roll, the aircraft overturned.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the engine performance and the environmental conditions at the time of the incident. Investigators examined the Continental C 90-12 F engine and found no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions. Meteorological data indicated that the aircraft was flying through an area where icing conditions were classified as moderate to severe at cruise power settings.
Findings
- The primary cause of the engine power loss was carburetor icing.
- The aircraft sustained heavy damage during the emergency landing and subsequent rollover.