C172, Toronto Canada, 2003
C172, Toronto Canada, 2003
Summary
On 9th October 2003, a Cessna 172, suffered loss of power and made a forced landing after experiencing Carburettor Icing, over Toronto, Canada
Flight Details
Aircraft
Operator
Type of Flight
Public Transport (Passenger)
Flight Origin
Intended Destination
Take-off Commenced
Yes
Flight Airborne
Yes
Flight Completed
No
Phase of Flight
Cruise
Location
Approx.
Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport 2NM SSE
HF
Tag(s)
Ineffective Monitoring,
Manual Handling
LOC
Tag(s)
Loss of Engine Power,
Environmental Factors
WX
Tag(s)
In Flight Icing - Piston Engine
Outcome
Damage or injury
Yes
Aircraft damage
Major
Non-aircraft damage
Yes
Non-occupant Casualties
No
Occupant Injuries
Few occupants
Off Airport Landing
Yes
Ditching
Yes
Causal Factor Group(s)
Group(s)
Aircraft Operation
Safety Recommendation(s)
Group(s)
None Made
Investigation Type
Type
Independent
Description
On 9th October 2003, a Cessna 172, suffered loss of power and made a forced landing after experiencing Piston Engine Induction Icing, over Toronto, Canada.
Synopsis
The following is an extract from the official report published by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada:
"At approximately 1300 eastern daylight time, the Toronto Airways Limited Cessna 172N aircraft…departed from the Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport on a sightseeing flight over Toronto, Ontario. The pilot and three passengers were on board. Before take-off, an engine ground run revealed no anomalies. The pilot applied full power for the take-off, climbed to an altitude of 2000 feet above sea level (1300 to 1400 feet above ground), levelled off, and selected the Toronto/City Centre Airport tower radio frequency. Shortly after that, the engine (Lycoming O-320-H2AD) began to lose power. The pilot informed the tower of the power loss and the intention to return to the Toronto/Buttonville Municipal Airport. Trying to regain power, the pilot ensured that full throttle was selected, checked the positions of the primer and magnetos, and switched fuel tanks. When these attempts were unsuccessful, the pilot selected the carburettor heat to the hot position, observed a further decrease in engine power, and reset the carburettor heat to the cold position. The engine was not producing enough power to maintain level flight and return to the airport, so the pilot searched for a suitable location for a forced landing. The aircraft was over a densely populated area, and the only suitable clearing was surrounded with trees and nearby buildings. The engine lost power on final approach. The pilot selected the flaps to the full-down position, overflew the clearing, and stalled the aircraft into the trees. The aircraft was substantially damaged and one passenger received minor injuries."
The report makes the following statement regarding the cause and contributing factors:
- "Ambient temperature and dew point conditions during the flight most likely resulted in carburettor icing, which caused the engine to lose power."
- "When the engine began to lose power, the pilot applied carburettor heat, but noted it resulted in a further decrease in engine power and selected the carburettor heat off. The heat was not on long enough to remove any ice."
Related Articles
Further Reading
- For further information on this particular incident, see the full TSB Accident Report
- For further information on Piston Engine Induction Icing see *UK CAA AIC 077/2009 "Induction System Icing on Piston Engines as Fitted to Aeroplanes, Helicopters, and Airships
