Piper PA28 N9219J

Summary

On 8 February 2019 at about 22:06 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N9219J, operated by FlightSafety International, was involved in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida, 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

8 February 2019 at 22:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Vero Beach, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Vero Beach Rgnl (VRB)

Coordinates

27.6642, -80.4247

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N9219J

Category

Airplane

Year built

1988

Engines

1

Operator

FlightSafety International

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vero Beach → Vero Beach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA19LA097

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat while operating the airplane in weather conditions and at engine power settings conducive to the formation of carburetor ice, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the subsequent forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was flying in the airport traffic pattern practicing touch-and-go landing maneuvers. On his third approach, the air traffic controller directed him to extend the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. On final approach, the engine rpm dropped, and the pilot felt the airplane "sinking." The pilot did not perform any checklists but advised air traffic control that he would be making an emergency landing and advanced the throttle lever. The engine momentarily produced more power but then lost total power when the airplane was about 500-600 ft above ground level; the propeller windmilled. The pilot did not attempt to perform any other remedial actions, such as applying carburetor heat, to restore power and executed a forced landing on a nearby gravel road. During the landing, the airplane impacted a utility pole and trees and sustained substantial damage to the wings and stabilator. Postaccident examination of the engine, which included a successful engine test run, revealed no evidence of any preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at descent engine power settings. Because postaccident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies, it is likely that the loss of engine power was a result of carburetor ice accumulation. When asked, the pilot stated that carburetor heat was only appropriate for simulated engine-out procedures. However, according to the pilot's operating handbook for the airplane make/model, carburetor heat should be used, if required, during a normal descent. The pilot failed to properly assess that conditions were conducive to carburetor icing and apply carburetor heat before the reduction in engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.