What happened
On April 19, 1998, a Socata MS 880 Rallye, registered F-GBCB, was conducting an instructional flight near the Pontoise aerodrome. During the flight, while at an altitude of 2,000 feet, the student pilot initiated a simulated engine failure maneuver. As part of the exercise, the engine power was reduced.
During the descent, the instructor provided guidance to the student regarding the necessary emergency procedures, specifically reminding them to activate the electric pump and the carburetor heat. However, as the aircraft reached the end of the maneuver, it was too low to reach the runway. The instructor took control of the aircraft and attempted to increase power, but the engine failed to respond. Realizing the runway was unreachable, the instructor performed a forced landing into a wheat field, landing into the wind along the direction of the furrows.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the engine's performance during the power reduction and the subsequent inability to regain power. Post-flight inspections of the engine revealed no mechanical anomalies, and the engine was successfully restarted without difficulty following the incident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the power loss was carburetor icing.
- The activation of the carburetor heat was performed too late to prevent the icing from affecting engine performance during the descent.