NTSB Factual Report

The pilot experience a complete loss of engine power while the airplane was established on the base leg of the traffic pattern at his destination airport. The 337-nautical mile flight originated in another state about 3 hours earlier. The 300-hour private pilot elected to execute a forced landing to a golf course; however, shortly before touchdown, the tailwheel-equipped airplane collided with mature trees and subsequently impacted the ground. The airplane came to rest in the upright position and the pilot and both passengers were able to exit the airplane unassisted. An examination of the airplane's engine by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector did not revealed any pre-impact anomalies or discrepancies. Additionally, aviation fuel was present at the accident site. The pilot, who reported having accumulated a total of 250-hours in the same make and model, stated that he did not utilize the carburetor heat during his descent or while in the traffic pattern. A carburetor icing probability chart obtained from a DOT/FAA/CT-82/44 publication predicts the possibility of serious carburetor icing at glide power under the weather conditions that prevailed at the time of the accident (temperature 80 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point of 55 degrees Fahrenheit).

NTSB Probable Cause

The loss of engine power as result of carburetor icing. Contributing factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the weather conditions conducive to carburetor icing.