Piper PA32 near West Palm Beach, AO — 2019-02-28
- Date
- 2019-02-28
- Location
- West Palm Beach, AO, USA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32
- Registration
- N1563X
- Category
- Airplane
- Highest injury
- None
- Fatalities
- 0
- Phase of flight
- Climb
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in a ditched landing in the ocean.
NTSB narrative
The pilot departed on the personal flight after topping off the airplane's fuel tanks. He reported that, about 15 minutes after leveling off at 3,500 ft mean sea level, he initiated a climb to 7,500 ft, and the engine immediately started to "sputter"; the airplane was about 20 miles off the coast of Florida over the Atlantic Ocean. He turned on the fuel boost pump, switched fuel tanks, and applied carburetor heat, to no avail. The engine lost total power shortly thereafter. The pilot subsequently ditched the airplane into the ocean, egressed, and was rescued. The airplane was not recovered, which precluded a postaccident examination.
Analysis
- Primary failure mode
- Engine power loss
- First missed decision gate
- Pilot could have checked for carburetor icing before initiating climb.
NTSB coding
Evidence available
- 5 docket documents
Docket documents5
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