Piper PA-22-150 N5939D

Summary

On 27 December 2020 at about 18:00 local time, a Piper PA-22-150 registered N5939D was involved in an accident near Cleveland, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 December 2020 at 18:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Cleveland, Georgia, United States

Coordinates

34.5737, -83.7158

Aircraft

Piper PA-22-150

Registration

N5939D

Category

Airplane

Year built

1956

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Covington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA21LA088

2 people had minor injuries.

A total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that the total time idling on the ground before takeoff was about 10 to 12 minutes. During the initial climb, the engine lost power and the airplane began to settle. The pilot applied carburetor heat, switched the fuel selector from the right tank to the left tank and the engine surged, but then lost total power again. The airplane continued to settle until it impacted treetops, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A postaccident examination and engine test run revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomalies that would have prevented normal engine operation. Based on the temperature and dew point about the time of the accident, the conditions were favorable for carburetor icing at cruise and glide power settings. It is likely that carburetor ice formed during the time the airplane was idling on the ground before takeoff, resulting in the loss of engine power during the initial climb.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.