20120804017159A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-38-112 · Fate, TX · August 4, 2012

Date: August 4, 2012 · 13:30 local
Place: Fate, TX
Airport: Rockwall Municipal
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N2552C
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12FA520
Reported as: Piper PA-38-112
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 640 total570 in this make and model1 in the last 90 days

N2552CRegistration cancelled Jan 12, 2018 · Piper PA-38-112S/N 38-79A0228 · Built 1978 Airframe modelPiper PA-38-112 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft departed F-46 to perform a maintenance check flight after annual. Completed 1st flight and departed for a second maintenance check flight. Aircraft was running normally at 2450 RPM at 75% throttle. Fuel switch was on l/h tank. (Note prior to 1st flight l/h tank had 12 gallons, and r/h tank had 10 gallons. Total time flown .82 hrs) after 30 minutes turned to r/h tank. In the vacinity of lake tawakoni turned back to F46. Approximately 10 miles east of F46 the engine RPM decreases to 2300 RPM. The pilot attemted to got o full throttle, and their was no response. He reduced throttle, and went full throttle again. It would only go to 2300 RPM. He continued back to F46 and the engine failed while he was about 2 miles out. He landed in a field of corn. The pilot indicated in his interview that he did not apply carburetor heat. He believed the low RPM was due to magneto issues.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED F-46 TO PERFORM A MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT AFTER ANNUAL. COMPLETED 1ST FLIGHT AND DEPARTED FOR A SECOND MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT WAS RUNNING NORMALLY AT 2450 RPM AT 75% THROTTLE. FUEL SWITCH WAS ON L/H TANK. (NOTE PRIOR TO 1ST FLIGHT L/H TANK HAD 12 GALLONS, AND R/H TANK HAD 10 GALLONS. TOTAL TIME FLOWN .82 HRS) AFTER 30 MINUTES TURNED TO R/H TANK. IN THE VACINITY OF LAKE TAWAKONI TURNED BACK TO F46. APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES EAST OF F46 THE ENGINE RPM DECREASES TO 2300 RPM. THE PILOT ATTEMTED TO GOT O FULL THROTTLE, AND THEIR WAS NO RESPONSE. HE REDUCED THROTTLE, AND WENT FULL THROTTLE AGAIN. IT WOULD ONLY GO TO 2300 RPM. HE CONTINUED BACK TO F46 AND THE ENGINE FAILED WHILE HE WAS ABOUT 2 MILES OUT. HE LANDED IN A FIELD OF CORN.THE PILOT INDICATED IN HIS INTERVIEW THAT HE DID NOT APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT. HE BELIEVED THE LOW RPM WAS DUE TO MAGNETO ISSUES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN12FA520Accident · No injuriesField investigationFinal reportFate, TXA total loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examinations did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.Aug 4, 2012 · Substantial damage