Piper PA-25-180 N242JG

Summary

On 10 January 2004 at about 15:15 local time, a Piper PA-25-180 registered N242JG, operated by Phoenix Aerial Advertising, was involved in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland, United States. One person was 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

10 January 2004 at 15:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Essex Skypark (W48)

Coordinates

39.2625, -76.4328

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-180

Registration

N242JG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Phoenix Aerial Advertising

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Baltimore → Baltimore

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD04LA007

Nobody was injured.

A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors included a low ambient temperature and a lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane's hangar was not heated, and the temperature had dropped to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit the previous evening. The pilot pre-heated the engine for about 45 minutes before starting the engine. He taxied the airplane and performed an engine run-up for a total of about 20 minutes, then flew for about 5 minutes to another airport for a banner pickup. In the traffic pattern, the pilot applied carburetor heat, then turned it off shortly before banner pickup in anticipation of the climb. The pilot hooked the banner, then proceeded to climb the airplane while increasing engine power to 2,500 rpm. The engine then "gave one spat," but "climbed strong" until about 200 feet above the runway, when the engine rpm suddenly dropped, and the engine sputtered to a stop. The pilot instantly released the banner, then tried to revive the engine by applying carburetor heat and pumping the throttle. The pilot determined that because of the low altitude, he could not complete a turn back to the runway, so he landed straight ahead into trees. Post-accident inspection of the engine and fuel system revealed no mechanical anomalies. The temperature and dewpoint at the time of the accident were 16 and -2 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in no probability of carburetor icing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.