Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary LAX91LA061

SIERRA VISTA, AZ, USA

Aircraft #1

N5968W

PIPER PA-28-150

Analysis

THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE SIERRA VISTA AIRPORT AS A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT TO PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING OUT FROM THE FOURTH TOUCH AND GO WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND LOOSE POWER. THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY THE LOSS OF POWER WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES 200 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHILE ATTEMPTING A RETURN TO THE RUNWAY. THE SIERRA VISTA, ARIZONA, AVIATION WEATHER OBSERVATION TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED A TEMPERATURE OF 52 DEGREES AND A DEW POINT OF 47 DEGREES. REVIEW OF A CARBURETOR ICING PROBABILITY CHART REVEALED THAT THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT FALLS WITHIN AN AREA DEFINED AS 'SERIOUS ICING -- CRUISE OR CLIMB POWER.'

Probable Cause and Findings

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE FROM IMPROPER USE OF THE CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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