Piper PA28 N33859

Summary

On 27 September 2020 at about 13:00 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N33859 was involved in an accident near Union, South Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 September 2020 at 13:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Union, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Union County Airport (35A)

Coordinates

34.6870, -81.6412

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N33859

Category

Airplane

Year built

1975

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Georgetown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA20LA335

1 person was seriously injured.

A total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat in conditions conducive to the development of carburetor icing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated pilot departed into instrument meteorological conditions and returned to the airport about 20 minutes later, communicating to a witness via radio that he could not see the ground. The witness attempted to guide the pilot back to the airport; however, the pilot stated he was having “engine trouble” and the airplane impacted trees in the vicinity of the airport. A postimpact fire ensued, which consumed most of the fuselage. The propeller did not exhibit any rotational scoring and the carburetor air box was consumed by fire. There were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the temperature and dew point about the time of the accident, the conditions were favorable for serious carburetor icing at a cruise power setting. It is likely that the engine lost power as a result of carburetor icing, and since the pilot reported to the local mechanic that he never used carburetor heat, the carburetor icing likely continued to accumulate until the engine lost total power.  

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.