- Date
- July 25, 1992, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Carrollton, TX
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9240TPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920725027509A
- Case key
- 18539
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain. Factors were the failed carburetor de-ice system valve resulting in an inoperative carburetor and the inadequate annual inspection by company maintenance personnel.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was descending the airplane into the control zone and had received clearance to enter a right base for runway 15 when the engine quit after he applied carburetor heat. The pilot made a 180 degree turn and descended over one open grass field as he attempted to glide to a dirt field. A fence and a railroad track lay between the fields. The airplane struck the fence, rotated approximately 180 degrees, and descended out of control to impact the terrain near the railroad tracks. The investigation revealed the main valve for the carburetor heat box had failed and was sucked into the carburetor inlet, blocking air flow, and rendered the carburetor inoperative. Further investigation revealed that portions of the valve assembly had been failing for an unspecified time prior to the accident and its' retaining screws had not been secured properly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9240T
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3878A0288
- Airframe hours
- 2,439
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Stramel Aviation Inc.
- Registered owner
- Hinckley, David
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 28, 1992 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- ADS · Addison, TX
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 31
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 110 total · 6 in this make and model · 90 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ADS, 4 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.