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20220416013879A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Piper PA-32-260 · Grantsville, MD · April 16, 2022

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 16, 2022 · 19:50 local
Place
Grantsville, MD
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N3618W
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA22LA191
Reported as
Piper PA-32-260
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
3
Pilot’s certificate
Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
955 total48 in this make and model29 in the last 90 days
N3618WRegistration cancelled Sep 30, 2022 · Piper PA-32-260S/N 32-519 · Built 1966Airframe modelPiper PA-32-260Engine 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 was cruising at 9000 MSL. It began pitching up when on autopilot altitude hold and the pilot, observing that the engine RPM had not changed, concluded it was a flight control issue caused by airframe icing and that the reduced indicated airspeed was caused by pitot icing. He did not apply carb heat, but turned on the pitot heat.

He descended through the cloud layer below, still believing that his inability to maintain altitude was the result of icing.

When he broke out of the overcast at approximately 500 AGL he was fortunate to be over and parallel to a single lane dirt road cut through the woods below him and was able to touch down with the aircraft destroyed, but with no major injuries on board. He was near enough to a residence that help was immediately available.

The aircraft was equipped with a digital engine gauge system which recorded data. Examination of the data showed that the engine RPM remained constant but the manifold pressure decreased. When the engine was examined it was found to be operable. The most likely cause of the crash was carb icing.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT WAS CRUISING AT 9000 MSL. IT BEGAN PITCHING UP WHEN ON AUTOPILOT ALTITUDE HOLD AND THE PILOT, OBSERVING THAT THE ENGINE RPM HAD NOT CHANGED, CONCLUDED IT WAS A FLIGHT CONTROL ISSUE CAUSED BY AIRFRAME ICING AND THAT THE REDUCED INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS CAUSED BY PITOT ICING. HE DID NOT APPLY CARB HEAT, BUT TURNED ON THE PITOT HEAT.

HE DESCENDED THROUGH THE CLOUD LAYER BELOW, STILL BELIEVING THAT HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WAS THE RESULT OF ICING.

WHEN HE BROKE OUT OF THE OVERCAST AT APPROXIMATELY 500 AGL HE WAS FORTUNATE TO BE OVER AND PARALLEL TO A SINGLE LANE DIRT ROAD CUT THROUGH THE WOODS BELOW HIM AND WAS ABLE TO TOUCH DOWN WITH THE AIRCRAFT DESTROYED, BUT WITH NO MAJOR INJURIES ON BOARD. HE WAS NEAR ENOUGH TO A RESIDENCE THAT HELP WAS IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A DIGITAL ENGINE GAUGE SYSTEM WHICH RECORDED DATA. EXAMINATION OF THE DATA SHOWED THAT THE ENGINE RPM REMAINED CONSTANT BUT THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE DECREASED. WHEN THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED IT WAS FOUND TO BE OPERABLE. THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE CRASH WAS CARB ICING.

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 ERA22LA191Accident · Minor injuriesClass 3 · LimitedFinal reportGrantsville, MDThe pilot’s decision to continue the flight into an area of moderate to heavy icing conditions, which resulted in a degradation of airplane performance and subsequent loss of control.Apr 16, 2022 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3618W · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20190106000119ILanding: Touchdown · Fallston, MDThe pilot reported on final approach there was a crosswind at at approximately 15 mph with moderate turbulence. He increase approach speed to about 7 mph above normal with 2 notches of flaps. He planned his landing at the beginning of the asphalt of the…Jan 6, 2019 · Minor damage