20221221018329A

THE AIRCRAFT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WAS REFUELLED TO FULL TANKS 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND KEPT IN A HEATED HANGER. THE CFI AND STUDENT HAD NOT FLOWN THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT. THEY CONDUCTED A COMPREHENSIVE SORTIE BRIEF FOR THE INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLIGHT, AND RECIEVED A WEATHER BRIEF BEFORE FILING AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN, WITH KMSY AS THEIR ALTERNATE. AFTER CONDUCTING THEIR PREFLIGHT CHECKS AND RUN UP, THERE WAS LITTLE DELAY IN RECIEVING THEIR RELEASE FROM MSY, AND THE AIRCRAFT TOOK OFF AT 7.52PM. THE CFI NOTED THAT THE CARB TEMPERATURE WAS 72°F ON CLIMB OUT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBED AT 90 KTS AND WENT IMC AT 450’. SHORTLY AFTER, AT APPROXIMATELY 500’, THERE WAS A MARKED POWER REDUCTION FELT AND THE RPM DROPPED TO APPROXIMATELY 1400. THE HANDLING PILOT HEARD THE ENGINE "COUGH AND SPLUTTER" AND NOTED AN ROM DROP. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL AND INSTIGATED A TURN BACK TO THE LEFT. AS PART OF HIS TROUBLESHOOTING HE LEANED THE MIXTURE, NOTING A RISE IN APPROXIMATELY 200 RPM AS HE DID SO. HE DID NOT APPLY CARB HEAT, AND THE ELECTRICAL FUEL PUMP WAS ON. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT EMERGED INTO VMC AT APPROXIATELY 350’, THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY HALF WAS DOWN THE RUNWAY. IN ORDER TO AVOID OVERRUNNING THE AIRFIELD AND ENDING UP IN A DITCH, THE CFI PUT DOWN FULL FLAP AND CONDUCTED A FORWARD SLIP, HOPING TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT FACING BACK UP THE PARALLEL TAXIWAY FOR RUNAY 35. THE STUDENT NOTED THAT BY THIS POINT THE PROPELLOR HAD STOPPED. AT APPROXIMATELY 5’, THE AIRCRAFT WAS FELT TO STALL AND THE LEFT WING AND NOSEWHEEL HIT THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT RAPIDLY DECELERATED AND THEN TURNED ONTO A HEADING OF 241°. THE CFI CONDUCTED AN EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUTDOWN AND SAFELY VACATED THE AIRCRAFT WITH HIS STUDENT, SUSTAINING A MILD FACIAL ABRASION AS HE DID SO. SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE BY FAA MAINTENANCE INSPECTORS FOUND NO FAILURE OF ANY COMPONENT WITHIN THE ENGINE. GIVEN THE CONDITIONS OF FLIGHT, CARBURETTOR ICING IS CONSIDERED TO BE THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE ENGINE FAILURE.