Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On October 29, 2000, at approximately 1500 mountain standard time, a Grumman American AA-1A, N41RC, sustained substantial damage when it struck a fence during a forced landing in a field north of Greeley-Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colorado. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for this local personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from the Fort Collins/Loveland Airport approximately 1400.

According to the pilot's accident report and information obtained from the airport manager, the pilot made a touch and go landing. During the climbout, the engine lost power. He turned left and "glided under minimal power" towards the airport. He "brushed the top of a fence post and clipped the upper barb[ed] wire strands," and landed on an access road. The engine regained power, and the pilot taxied back to the ramp. The airplane sustained damage to both ailerons and one aileron attachment point.

The pilot had the airplane inspected by a mechanic and "carburetor ice was suspected as the cause." The pilot said he applied carburetor heat towards the end of the approach for the touch and go landing, and closed it prior to lifting off.

According to the Greeley AWOS-3 observation taken at 1455 mst, the temperature and dew point were 19 degrees C. (66 degrees F.) and -4 degrees C. (25 degrees F.), respectively. According to the Carburetor Icing Graph, this temperature/dew point combination is on the outer fringes of SERIOUS ICING AFFECTS GLIDE OR CRUISE POWER arc. Carburetor ice formation due to the pilot's improper use of the carburetor heat control. Factors were the fence and fence post.