N82442Aeronca 7CCM · 1946

On July 5, 2014, about 1130 central daylight time, an Aeronca 7CCM, N82442, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing, following a total loss of engine power during cruise flight near Prentiss, Mississippi. The private pilot and one passenger incurred minor injuries, while a second passenger was not injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned flight to a private airstrip in Collins, Mississippi. The flight originated from Prentiss County Airport (M43), Prentiss, Mississippi, about 1115.

The pilot reported that he departed with 9 gallons of automobile gasoline, which he had a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) supplemental type certificate for. Toward the end of the approximate 20-minute flight, the engine suddenly lost all power without warning. He switched from the header fuel tank to the right main fuel tank. He also set up for a forced landing to a hayfield as the rest of the nearby terrain was wooded. Just prior to landing, the engine regained power for approximately 3 seconds and then lost all power again. The momentary gain in power placed the airplane on a high glidepath for the hayfield. The pilot did not want to risk landing in the surrounding trees and stalled the airplane as he was maneuvering to land in the hayfield. After the accident, he confirmed there was fuel in the header fuel tank and right wing fuel tank. He did not know why the engine lost all power. The airplane was not insured and the pilot planned to scrap it. As such, he had no planes to further troubleshoot why the engine lost all power.

Examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that during the impact, the right main landing gear separated and the right wing partially collapsed downward. The inspector noted that the header fuel tank was compromised during the impact and did not contain fuel. The right wing fuel tank was intact and contained fuel. The airplane was not equipped with a left wing fuel tank. Due to the disposition of the wreckage (right gear and wing collapse), the inspector was only able to rotate the propeller about 90 degrees before ground contact, but did not note any mechanical binding. He was also not able to access the fuel bowl. The inspector added that a rear seat passenger was carrying her 5-year-old son on her lap. The pilot and adult passenger received lacerations. The son was not injured.

The pilot could not locate his aircraft or pilot logbooks. He reported a total flight experience of 5,000 hours; of which, 4,000 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane with 40 of those hours flown during the 90 days preceding the accident. The pilot's mechanic stated that he completed an annual inspection of the airplane on or about August 1, 2013. The mechanic added that after the airplane was recovered, he was able to rotate the propeller and obtain thumb compression on all four cylinders.

Review of an FAA Carburetor Icing chart for the temperature (82 degrees F) and dew point (57 degrees F) at the time of the accident revealed "Serious Icing (glide power);" however, the engine was at cruise power when the power loss occurred.