N1848F

On July 23, 1997, about 0900 hours Pacific daylight time, a Beech 77, N1848F, collided with grape vines during a forced landing following an engine failure near Lakeport, California. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a local instructional flight to complete the pilot's biennial flight review. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. Neither the private pilot nor the flight instructor were injured. The flight originated at Lakeport about 0830 on the morning of the accident.

In written statements, the pilot and instructor reported that they were performing a series of slow flight maneuvers and stalls. The engine lost power and could not be restarted prior to the aircraft landing in a vineyard. The on-ground collision with grape vines and the supporting wooden posts and wires damaged the aircraft.

Following recovery of the aircraft, it was examined by an Federal Aviation Administation airworthiness inspector from the Sacramento, California, Flight Standards District Office. The inspector reported that rotation of the crankshaft produced compression in each cylinder, with accessory gear and valve train continuity established. The carburetor and fuel system were examined, with no abnormalities noted. Both magnetos sparked with hand rotation.

The aviation weather observation station at Ukiah, California, is about 13 miles west of the accident site. At 0845, the station was reporting a Fahrenheit temperature and dew point of 60 and 51 degrees. Review of a carburetor icing probability chart reveals that the temperature and dew point are within an area of the graph annotated "serious icing - cruise or climb power."