Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA 24-250 near Fair Oaks, CA — 2013-12-05

Final reportWPR14LA061
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Date
2013-12-05
Location
Fair Oaks, CA, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA 24-250
Registration
N6595P
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Descent

Probable cause

The loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations of the airplane and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after departure on a personal cross-country flight that he had made numerous times, he climbed the airplane to 6,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and then requested flight following services. As he neared the destination airport, he requested and received a descent to 3,500 feet msl from air traffic control (ATC). Upon reaching 3,500 feet msl, he pushed the carburetor heat off, and the engine quit. He reapplied the carburetor heat, but the engine did not restart. He advised ATC of the situation, and the controller gave him a heading to the closest airport. The pilot's continued attempts to restart the engine failed, and, when he realized the airplane was not going to be able to reach the airport, he executed a forced landing to a soccer field, and the airplane collided with a car, trees, and terrain. Examinations of the airplane and engine did not reveal evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Fuel was found on board the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the atmospheric conditions were not conducive to the accumulation of carburetor ice at the time of the accident. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have maintained engine power by not turning off carburetor heat.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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