What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The student pilot departed rwy 24, palwaukee airport, wheeling, IL, in Piper PA-28-140, N560DH, with flight instructor privacy data omitted. All systems, including carburetor heat, were checked before takeoff and were satisfactory. The engine developed takeoff power, but soon after airborne lost sufficient power so as to prohibit altitude maintenence. The instructor assumed airplane control and descended into trees. The airplane was destroyed. The occupants sustained minor injuries. Post-accident investigation disclosed normal engine systems and did not identify a cause for power loss. The instructor said he purposely did not apply carburetor heat after power loss since there would have been no time to melt any ice before impact with the trees--thereby the only result being a further loss of power and accelerated descent rate. The instructor confirmed that the magnetos remained in the "both" position during flight.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED RWY 24, PALWAUKEE AIRPORT, WHEELING, IL, IN PIPER PA-28-140, N560DH, WITH FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR ^PRIVACY DAT^. ALL SYSTEMS, INCLUDING CARBURETOR HEAT, WERE CHECKED BEFORE TAKEOFF AND WERE SATISFACTORY. THE ENGINE DEVELOPED TAKEOFF POWER, BUT SOON AFTER AIRBORNE LOST SUFFICIENT POWER SO AS TO PROHIBIT ALTITUDE MAINTENENCE. THE INSTRUCTOR ASSUMED AIRPLANE CONTROL AND DESCENDED INTO TREES. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE OCCUPANTS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED NORMAL ENGINE SYSTEMS AND DID NOT IDENTIFY A CAUSE FOR POWER LOSS. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE PURPOSELY DID NOT APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT AFTER POWER LOSS SINCE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO TIME TO MELT ANY ICE BEFORE IMPACT WITH THE TREES--THEREBY THE ONLY RESULT BEING A FURTHER LOSS OF POWER AND ACCELERATED DESCENT RATE. THE INSTRUCTOR CONFIRMED THAT THE MAGNETOS REMAINED IN THE "BOTH" POSITION DURING FLIGHT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.