Primary finding
Probable cause
Carburetor heat not used and improper use of throttle and mixture control. A factor was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot descended from 1500 feet to 500 feet agl to make a low pass over his parents' ranch. He did not apply carburetor heat prior to the power reduction. As he levelled off, he advanced the mixture control to full rich and advanced the throttle, and the engine lost power. No engine restart was attempted due to terrain proximity and the pilot made a forced landing in an open field. During roll out, the nose wheel struck a boulder and was sheared off, the airplane nosed over. Examination and tests disclosed no discrepancies with the carburetor, oil screen, spark plugs, fuel and oil. The engine was subsequently functionally tested and operated satisfactorily.
Source record
Factual narrative
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