Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-24-250 near Mc Allen, TX — 2012-12-31

Final reportCEN13LA118
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Date
2012-12-31
Location
Mc Allen, TX, USA
Airport
KMFE
Aircraft
PIPER PA-24-250
Registration
N8053P
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Initial climb

Probable cause

A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.

NTSB narrative

After taking off and climbing to about 1,200 feet above the ground, the airplane’s engine began to run rough and lost power. The pilot turned back toward the airport, but the airplane impacted terrain 200 feet short of the runway. The left main and nose landing gears separated from the airplane, the right wing was crushed, and the fuselage was buckled. Postaccident examination of the engine and related systems revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. According to a Federal Aviation Administration carburetor icing chart, conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at the time of the accident.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Engine power loss
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted takeoff upon engine roughness indication.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • 3 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents3

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