Piper PA 28-161 N2587X

Summary

On 17 September 2017 at about 20:47 local time, a Piper PA 28-161 registered N2587X was involved in an accident near El Cajon, California, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 September 2017 at 20:47

Classification

Accident

Location

El Cajon, California, United States

Nearest airport

Gillespie Field Airport (SEE)

Coordinates

32.8222, -116.9703

Aircraft

Piper PA 28-161

Registration

N2587X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1985

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

El Cajon → El Cajon

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR17LA208

1 person had minor injuries.

A partial loss of engine power due to the formation of carburetor ice during descent for landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to apply carburetor heat.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot reported that he and the pilot-rated passenger returned to the airport to practice touch-and-go landings after a local flight. The first two landings were uneventful. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for the third landing, the pilot reduced engine power and started to descend the airplane. After turning base, the pilot increased power, but the engine did not respond and remained at idle. There was no change in engine noise and the engine was not running rough. The pilot manipulated the throttle and primer several times, but the engine did not respond, and the pilot elected to land the airplane on a nearby road. During the descent, the airplane struck powerlines and a tree before it impacted the road and slid to a stop. A postaccident engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the carburetor icing probability chart revealed that the airplane was operating in conditions favorable to the formation of serious carburetor icing at glide power. In addition, on-scene photographs revealed that the carburetor heat lever was in the off position; therefore, it is likely that carburetor ice accumulated during the descent, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.