Accident Overview
On 13 November 2011, at approximately 1330 UTC, a Piper PA-22-160 Super Pacer (registration G-BTLM) operated by a private pilot on a solo flight experienced an engine malfunction while attempting a go-around at Leicester Airport. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, but the pilot was uninjured.
Sequence of Events
The pilot was on final approach with flaps retracted and the engine at idle. When he applied full throttle to initiate a go-around, the engine did not respond as expected. In an effort to restore power, he pumped the throttle, but this action caused the engine to stop completely. A forced landing was then executed in a nearby field. During the landing, the right wing struck a small tree. The pilot egressed via the rear door on the left side of the aircraft because the damaged right wing blocked the front door, which is located on the right side.
Pilot Observations
The pilot reported that the rate of descent with full flaps and a stationary propeller was much greater than anticipated, as his previous forced landing practice had been conducted with a windmilling propeller during simulated engine failures. He also noted that carburettor icing was the most likely cause of the engine's failure to respond, given that the conditions were conducive to its formation following the clearance of recent fog.
Additional Information
The pilot held a Private Pilot’s Licence and had 676 hours of total flying experience, with 433 hours on type. His recent flying activity was limited, with only 2 hours in the last 90 days and 1 hour in the last 28 days. The aircraft was a 1958 model equipped with a Lycoming O-320-B2A piston engine.
The CAA Safety Sense Leaflet 14, 'Piston Engine Icing', contains useful information on how to avoid induction system icing, though no official cause was determined in this report.