Bice Air Creation GTE accident near Hayfork, California, January 22, 2011
On January 22, 2011 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Bice Air Creation GTE (weight-shift aircraft), registered N4668L, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Hayfork, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power during cruise flight, while operating in carburetor icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 2011 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hayfork, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bice Air Creation GTE
- Registration
- N4668L · no longer on the register · serial T0231
- 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, while en route on a cross-country flight, the weight-shift-control airplane's engine exhaust gas temperature and cylinder head temperature began to drop. The pilot believed this was due to carburetor icing. The airplane was not equipped with carburetor heat; therefore, no corrective action could be taken. The engine subsequently lost power, and the pilot performed a forced landing on heavily wooded mountainous terrain. The wing structure was substantially damaged during the forced landing, and both main landing gear separated from the fuselage. A review of a carburetor icing chart indicated that the temperature and dewpoint were conducive to the formation of serious icing at cruise power. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions.
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 (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 384 hours in all; 266 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 328 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 437 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 14, 2010; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 990 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FOT Fortuna CA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: H47 Hayfork CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KF62, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.