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20141123022779I

Incident · No damage
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FAA incident report · Piper PA-28-236 · O'Fallon, IL · November 23, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 23, 2014 · 14:00 local
Place
O'Fallon, IL
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
No damage
Aircraft
N351VA
Reported as
Piper PA-28-236
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard
4
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
3,000 total16 in the last 90 days
N351VARegistered now · Piper PA-28-236S/N 28-8111056 · Built 1981Airframe modelPiper PA-28-236Engine modelLycoming 0-540 seriesReciprocating

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 kcps on an IFR flight plan flying in IMC flight conditions. PIC was cleared to climb from 3000 to 7000. Approaching 5000 the aircraft struggled to climb. Pc applied full power only able to maintain 85 KIAS and 100-200 fpm rate of climb. The carburateror heat was applied with no change. The PIC turned the carburetor heat off. PIC requested a clearance to return to kcps. ATC reported the weather conditions were deteriorating at kcps and recommended landing at kblv. PIC accepted the ATC recommendation. The PIC did not declare an emergency. Vectors were provided for the 14 localizer approach at kblv. PIC again turned on the carburetor heat switch on for the duration of the flight. This did not help. PIC switched fuel tanks and adjusted the mixture control with no positive results. PIC report the engine power continued to deteriorate and he determined he could not make it to the runway. The aircraft broke out of the clouds at approximately 400 feet above ground level and landed in a plowed field. There were no injuries and no apparent damage to the aircraft. After landing the PIC notified flight service of the approximate location and there were no injuries.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED KCPS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FLYING IN IMC FLIGHT CONDITIONS. PIC WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB FROM 3000 TO 7000. APPROACHING 5000 THE AIRCRAFT STRUGGLED TO CLIMB. PC APPLIED FULL POWER ONLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN 85 KIAS AND 100-200 FPM RATE OF CLIMB. THE CARBURATEROR HEAT WAS APPLIED WITH NO CHANGE. THE PIC TURNED THE CARBURETOR HEAT OFF. PIC REQUESTED A CLEARANCE TO RETURN TO KCPS. ATC REPORTED THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE DETERIORATING AT KCPS AND RECOMMENDED LANDING AT KBLV. PIC ACCEPTED THE ATC RECOMMENDATION. THE PIC DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED FOR THE 14 LOCALIZER APPROACH AT KBLV. PIC AGAIN TURNED ON THE CARBURETOR HEAT SWITCH ON FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT. THIS DID NOT HELP. PIC SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ADJUSTED THE MIXTURE CONTROL WITH NO POSITIVE RESULTS. PIC REPORT THE ENGINE POWER CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE AND HE DETERMINED HE COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND LANDED IN A PLOWED FIELD. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. AFTER LANDING THE PIC NOTIFIED FLIGHT SERVICE OF THE APPROXIMATE LOCATION AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES.