Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-28-140 near Vernon Hills, IL — 2022-08-06

Final reportCEN22LA377
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Date
2022-08-06
Location
Vernon Hills, IL, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-28-140
Registration
N6460R
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Cruise

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper in-flight fuel management, which led to a loss of engine power due to fuel starvation. Contributing to the accident was the collapsed carburetor heat induction tube that restricted airflow to the engine preventing engine restart.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was the collapsed carburetor heat induction tube that restricted airflow to the engine preventing engine restart.

NTSB narrative

The pilot was on the return leg of a cross-country flight when the airplane’s engine lost power. He reported that he performed emergency procedures that included applying carburetor heat, switching the selected fuel tank from the left fuel tank to the right fuel tank, activating the electric fuel pump, and attempting to restart the engine. He noted that he made about 3 such attempts without success in restarting the engine. He landed on a road and the airplane’s right wing was substantially damaged when it impacted a road sign during rollout. Flight track data indicated that the airplane had been airborne on the round-trip flight for about 3 hours and 35 minutes. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane’s left fuel tank was nearly empty, and the right tank contained about 10 gallons of fuel and 1-1/2 ounces of water. Examination of the engine revealed that the flexible tube from the heat shroud to the carburetor heat box was partially collapsed. The damage to the tube did not appear to be impact related and investigators were not able to establish when the collapse occurred. During the engine run the collapsed induction tube was reinstalled as-found following the accident. The engine started normally and ran smoothly; however, when the carburetor heat check was performed, the engine rpm reduced by 700 rpm, but returned to full rpm when the carburetor heat was turned off. No other anomalies were detected during the engine test run that would have precluded normal operations. During the second engine run the collapsed flexible tube was removed and the carburetor heat system performed as expected during the carburetor heat check. Based on the available information, the loss of engine power was likely due to fuel starvation. The collapsed induction hose only affected engine operation when carburetor heat was applied, so it would not have resulted in the initial power loss. However, the collapsed induction tube could have hampered the pilot’s attempts to restart the engine following the loss of power.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Fuel management
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have checked fuel levels before departure to ensure adequate fuel for return flight.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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