Piper PA-25-235 N9188T

Summary

On 6 July 1995 at about 20:14 local time, a Piper PA-25-235 registered N9188T was involved in an accident near Maricopa, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 July 1995 at 20:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Maricopa, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Estrella Sailport (E68)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Piper PA-25-235

Registration

N9188T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA253

Nobody was injured.

an undetermined internal failure of the carburetor.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS ABOUT 50 FEET AGL IN THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB TOWING A GLIDER ALOFT, WHEN HE BECAME AWARE OF A LOSS OF POWER ACCOMPANIED BY A BLACK SMOKE TRAILING FROM THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT RELEASED THE GLIDER, BUT DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH ALTITUDE OR AIRCRAFT ENERGY TO MAKE A RETURN TO RUNWAY MANEUVER. HE LANDED ON SOFT DESERT SOIL, AND DURING THE ROLLOUT, THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE LEFT WING WAS DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED HEAVY SOOTING OF ALL SPARK PLUGS. NO EXTERNAL EVIDENCE OF A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE WAS NOTED. THE PILOT SAID HE BELIEVES AN INTERNAL MALFUNCTION OF THE CARBURETOR WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POWER LOSS. THE ENGINE AND CARBURETOR WERE EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO REPORTED THAT THE CARBURETOR WAS TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO MAKE ANY DETERMINATION REGARDING POTENTIAL DISCREPANCIES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.