Engine failure, carburetor ice, forced landing off airport.

Attributes
ACN	275841
Time
Date	199406
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : 4q5
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 400 agl bound upper : 400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 880 flight time type : 45
ASRS Report	275841
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On final for runway 22 at approximately 400 AGL and approximately 1/4-1/2 mi out the engine began to sputter then it died. As soon as this happened I pitched for the best glide and dropped the flaps. After that I began my flow check to ensure the mixture was rich, fuel on both, propeller high RPM, etc. One thing I did not do was put the carburetor heat to warm, but by now it was too late for that and I needed to worry about flying the plane. I then proceeded to inform my passenger to prepare for a crash landing when I noted that with the 20-25 mph headwind, I was not going to make the runway, instead I was going to hit a row of power lines crossing the approach. After noting this I proceeded to pitch down to increase my airspeed which I used to keep over the power lines. When over the lines my airspeed was reduced to approximately 40-45 mph and the airplane was basically in a controled fall to the ground. Before impact I flared to minimized impact. The aircraft made a 3 point landing, bounced, then ran into a log (parking lot barrier) in a gravel airport parking lot. There was no damage to the ground. I then instructed my passenger to exit the aircraft and in turn helped her. We exited the aircraft without injury and there was no fire. The plane suffered some damage. After the incident I approximated that there was about 14 gallons of fuel in the left tank.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ENG FAILURE, CARB ICE, FORCED LNDG OFF ARPT.

Narrative: ON FINAL FOR RWY 22 AT APPROX 400 AGL AND APPROX 1/4-1/2 MI OUT THE ENG BEGAN TO SPUTTER THEN IT DIED. AS SOON AS THIS HAPPENED I PITCHED FOR THE BEST GLIDE AND DROPPED THE FLAPS. AFTER THAT I BEGAN MY FLOW CHK TO ENSURE THE MIXTURE WAS RICH, FUEL ON BOTH, PROP HIGH RPM, ETC. ONE THING I DID NOT DO WAS PUT THE CARB HEAT TO WARM, BUT BY NOW IT WAS TOO LATE FOR THAT AND I NEEDED TO WORRY ABOUT FLYING THE PLANE. I THEN PROCEEDED TO INFORM MY PAX TO PREPARE FOR A CRASH LNDG WHEN I NOTED THAT WITH THE 20-25 MPH HEADWIND, I WAS NOT GOING TO MAKE THE RWY, INSTEAD I WAS GOING TO HIT A ROW OF PWR LINES XING THE APCH. AFTER NOTING THIS I PROCEEDED TO PITCH DOWN TO INCREASE MY AIRSPD WHICH I USED TO KEEP OVER THE PWR LINES. WHEN OVER THE LINES MY AIRSPD WAS REDUCED TO APPROX 40-45 MPH AND THE AIRPLANE WAS BASICALLY IN A CTLED FALL TO THE GND. BEFORE IMPACT I FLARED TO MINIMIZED IMPACT. THE ACFT MADE A 3 POINT LNDG, BOUNCED, THEN RAN INTO A LOG (PARKING LOT BARRIER) IN A GRAVEL ARPT PARKING LOT. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE GND. I THEN INSTRUCTED MY PAX TO EXIT THE ACFT AND IN TURN HELPED HER. WE EXITED THE ACFT WITHOUT INJURY AND THERE WAS NO FIRE. THE PLANE SUFFERED SOME DAMAGE. AFTER THE INCIDENT I APPROXIMATED THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 14 GALLONS OF FUEL IN THE L TANK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.