Piper PA-28-150 N5968W

Summary

On 28 December 1990 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-28-150 registered N5968W, operated by Belt Michael E, was involved in an accident near Sierra Vista, Arizona, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 December 1990 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Sierra Vista, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

31.5907, -110.1692

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-150

Registration

N5968W

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Belt Michael E

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91LA061

Nobody was injured.

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

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.