Aircraft: Piper Comanche. Injuries: None. Location: McAllen, Texas. Aircraft damage: Substantial.
What reportedly happened: After taking off and climbing to about 1,200 feet, the engine began to run rough and lost power.
The pilot turned back toward the airport, but the plane didn’t have enough altitude to glide to the runway and it came down some 200 feet short of the runway.
The left main and nose landing gears were torn off and the right wing was crushed, and the fuselage was buckled.
According to a FAA carburetor icing chart, conditions were conducive to carburetor icing at the time of the accident.
Probable cause: A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.
NTSB Identification: CEN13LA118
This December 2012 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
The carb ice risk chart in the accident docket is very useful. He was in a “moderate risk” situation under full power. I didn’t see in his Pilot/Operator report (from the docket), nor in the NTSB Factual report in the NTSB data base how much time lapsed between his runup and his departure. A friend flying behind a normally aspirated/carb )-470 in a C182 experienced this exact same scenario when departing Sun River, OR… except my friend’s engine caught moments before he hit the trees at the end of the runway. The Comanche pilot’s consistent control of his aircraft all the way through this emergency saved his life. Great piloting. FWIW, this was not an “Off airport Landing”. He made it back to the airport, just had to put it down short of the runway.
…plugs were dry consistent with a “lean mixture”. Is it possible that he forgot to go full rich on the mixture before takeoff and a too lean mixture caught up with him during climb out and then after the crash pulled the mixture all the way out when all the switches were turned off? Never heard of rough engine with or without carb ice on takeoff/climb out with full throttle and full rich……….
This definitely sounds plausible. Maybe a combination of lean mixture and carb ice are to blame here then. As a student pilot, I’ve flown in colder weather with similar relative humidity in a C172 with carb heat cold during climb out with no issues. I’m puzzled that the NTSB findings mention the dry plugs and lean mixture but don’t consider this a contributing factor.
More information please on this worrisome icing accident. I’ve been flying for 70 years, 205, T-210 and AA-5A, 5000 hrs, 700 hrs logged instrument time. I’ve never had a carburetor icing incident. The turbocharged 210 may have taught me some bad habits. I’ve never consulted a carburetor icing chart before take-off anywhere in the US, Caribbean or South America and certainly not at 1200 ft after take-off with the engine running strong at run-up and the first couple minutes of climb. I have learned after acquiring the Cheetah to use carburetor heat routinely on descent. WHAT AM I MISSING ?
Bill Lyons
I have had carb ice on take off. Oddly enough, on a comfortably nice 60 degree fall day in northern, AZ. A little verga was present in some clouds off in the distance indicating the presence of some moisture in the air, which was a clue that I ignored that day. Did a quick cycle on the carb heat just before take off without giving it sufficient time to actually warm the carb, pulled onto the runway and took off. The engine ran smoothly, but the take off seemed a bit sluggish, but not enough so that I would abort the take off. Climb out was even more sluggish and getting more so as I progressed. I recognized that all was not well and cycled the carb heat on, which was followed by an immediate stumble and drop off of power, then a recovery. Cycled carb heat back off and all was back to normal with a normal climb out and cruise for the rest of the trip. Yes, carb ice can happen on take off.
Lesson learned; cycling carb heat on and watching for a drop isn’t sufficient to warm the carb as the hot air will always cause a drop. Instead, one should pull carb heat on and watch for a drop with a recovery of rpm while the carb heat is on. That indicates carb ice had built during run up and is cause to cycle the carb heat on again to clear any ice just before applying full throttle for take off.