Piper PA-28-140 N55620

Summary

On 25 October 2012 at about 01:40 local time, a Piper PA-28-140 registered N55620 was involved in an accident near Maryland Heights, Missouri, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 October 2012 at 01:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Maryland Heights, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

38.7736, -90.4928

Aircraft

Piper PA-28-140

Registration

N55620

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Delware → Maryland Heights

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN13FA030

2 people died.

The pilot’s failure to activate the carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

As the airplane was approaching the destination airport for a night landing, a witness saw the airplane maneuvering as it passed overhead. She also remarked that the engine sounded like it was sputtering and thought that the pilot was attempting to land the airplane on the beach of a nearby lake. The airplane impacted the water and cartwheeled before sinking. A test run of the engine was conducted; the engine started and ran at various power settings. An examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The temperature and dew point about the time of the accident indicated that the airplane was operating in conditions that were conducive to serious icing at glide power. The pilot was in an extended descent and most likely had the power on the engine reduced for the descent. Although the carburetor heat was found on it is unknown when the pilot activated the carburetor heat. The engine controls were in positions consistent with an attempt to restart the engine; it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor ice and that the carburetor heat was not activated until after the engine began to lose power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.