| Crash location | 41.305278°N, 91.655278°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Washington, IA
43.119141°N, 91.907663°W 126.0 miles away |
| Tail number | N47539 |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 16 Aug 2009 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-28-161 |
| Additional details: | None |
The pilot was returning to the airport to land when the accident occurred. He was one mile from the airport when the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing in a corn field during which, he suffered a broken arm. Post accident inspection of the airframe and engine failed to reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of engine power. The pilot stated he did not use carburetor heat during the descent back to the airport. The local temperature and dewpoint were 27 degrees Celsius and 21 degrees Celsius respectively. These conditions were conducive to visible icing at rated power.
A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in conditions that were conducive to carburetor icing.