Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER accident near Advance, North Carolina, May 4, 2014
On May 4, 2014 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 2011 Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, registered N162US, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Advance, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to apply carburetor heat during a descent with reduced engine power while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2014 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Advance, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Czech Sport Aircraft A S SPORTCRUISER, built 2011 · all SPORTCRUISERs on the register
- Registration
- N162US · registry record · serial P1102014
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, about 45 minutes into the local flight and after reducing engine power for the descent, the engine rpm began to decrease. She applied carburetor heat in an attempt to regain full engine power; however, the engine rpm continued to decrease, and the engine then lost total power. She unsuccessfully attempted to restart the engine, performed the emergency engine shutdown procedures, and then chose to land the airplane in a field, during which it sustained substantial damage to the firewall, fuselage, and right wing. A postaccident examination of the airframe revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was test run and examined about 4 months after the accident. The engine was initially test run using alternate fuel with no anomalies noted. The engine was then test run using fuel found in the left wing tank. During that test run, the engine hesitated, but it did not lose total power. The fuel recovered from the airplane was tested, and it did not meet the specification limits for automotive gas, aviation gas, or UL82 aviation gas; however, it did exhibit characteristics of evaporated automotive gas. Although a white powdery substance was found in the carburetor and the fuel did not meet specifications, due to the amount of time that passed between the accident and the engine examination, it could not be determined whether the powdery substance was in the carburetor, or what the fuel condition was, when the engine lost power. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of serious carburetor icing at glide power, and carburetor icing is more likely to form when an engine is operating on automotive gas. In addition, the Pilot's Operating Handbook noted that carburetor heat should be used during descents. Therefore, it is likely that the pilot's delayed application of carburetor heat during the descent resulted in a total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Decision related to condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,157.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 7, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 1,323 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 50 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5NC2 Mocksville NC at 12:45 pm
- Destination: 5NC2 Mocksville NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 pm from EXX, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA14LA219.