Event ATL03LA149

Factual narrative

On September 27, 2003, at 1100 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 150A, N5581E, registered to and operated by a commercial pilot, collided with the ground while making an emergency landing on Core Banks Island, near Beaufort North Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The commercial pilot and passenger received minor injuries. The flight departed from a private grass strip in Harlowe, North Carolina, on September 27, 2003 at 1020. According to the pilot, while enroute to the Core Banks Island, he descended to an altitude of 500 feet to survey a "duck-blind" site. The pilot then reduced flaps, applied carburetor heat, and reduced the power. The engine began to run rough, and full throttle was applied. The carburetor heat control lever was in the "off" position, and the engine quit. Efforts by the pilot to restart the engine were unsuccessful, and an emergency landing area was chosen. During the emergency landing the airplane collided with the ground and came to rest inverted. No mechanical or flight control anomalies were reported by pilot prior to the accident. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing's leading edge was damaged from the tip-cap inboard approximately 24 inches. The nose strut assembly was bent aft at the attachment points. The firewall and fuselage aft of the baggage compartment were buckled. Examinations of the engine, revealed movement of all the intake and exhaust valves in all combustion cylinders, no anomalies with the ignition system were noted. A review of the icing probability chart revealed conditions were favorable for induction system icing. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport reported a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a dew point of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the pilot, while en route to the Core Banks Island, he descended to an altitude of 500 feet to survey the site. The pilot reduced flaps, applied carburetor heat, and reduced the power. The engine began to run rough, and full throttle was applied. The carburetor heat control was turned off and the engine quit. During the emergency landing the airplane collided with the ground and came to rest inverted. Examinations of the engine, revealed movement of all the intake and exhaust valves in all combustion cylinders, no anomalies with the ignition system were noted. No mechanical or flight control anomalies were reported by pilot prior to the accident. The Raleigh-Durham International Airport reported a temperature of 75 degrees Fahrenheit with a dew point of 68 degrees Fahrenheit. A review of the icing probability chart revealed conditions were favorable for induction system icing. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12