Accident Piper PA-24-180 N7352P,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 287016
 
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Date:Tuesday 28 April 2009
Time:14:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic PA24 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Piper PA-24-180
Owner/operator:Private
Registration: N7352P
MSN: 24-2530
Year of manufacture:1961
Total airframe hrs:2048 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-360-A1D
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Chugiak, Alaska -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Training
Departure airport:Anchorage, AK (MRL)
Destination airport:Belmopan Airport (BCV)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) was administering a biennial flight review to the private pilot/airplane owner whose previous biennial review had expired. The CFI said that while in level flight at 1,600 feet msl, as the airplane approached the accident airport, he closed the engine throttle, and told the pilot that he was simulating an engine failure, then instructed the pilot to make an emergency descent and landing at the airport ahead. During the simulated emergency descent, the CFI momentarily advanced the engine throttle to ensure engine power was still available, and the engine appeared to respond accordingly. As the approach progressed, the pilot lowered the landing gear, and the airplane's descent rate increased significantly. The CFI instructed the pilot to go-around when he realized that the airplane was too low on the approach. The pilot immediately applied full engine throttle, but the engine did not respond, and he selected an area of grass-covered terrain as a forced landing site. During the forced landing the airplane struck a perimeter fence, and the nose and main landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and wings. An NTSB postaccident inspection disclosed no evidence any preimpact mechanical problems. An aviation weather reporting station indicated that the temperature was 54 degrees F, and the dew point was 32 degrees F. When these values are entered into a carburetor icing probability chart, the results are in the "Serious icing-glide power" category. Both pilots reported that carburetor heat was not used during the simulated emergency descent and approach. A pilot that landed about 15 minutes after the accident reported that while on approach, his airplane's engine developed carburetor ice, which required the use of carburetor heat. Given the lack of any mechanical anomalies it is likely that the formation of carburetor ice resulted in the loss of engine power.

Probable Cause: The flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the pilot during a simulated loss of engine power, and the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat while operating at a reduced engine power while in carburetor icing conditions.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: ANC09LA036
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB ANC09LA036

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
03-Oct-2022 19:31 ASN Update Bot Added

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