Piper PA28 N56466

Summary

On 27 May 2024 at about 16:45 local time, a Piper PA28 registered N56466 was involved in an accident near Taylor, Texas, United States. 3 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 May 2024 at 16:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Taylor, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Taylor Municipal Airport (T74)

Coordinates

30.5852, -97.4433

Aircraft

Piper PA28

Registration

N56466

Category

Airplane

Year built

1973

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Taylor → Stephenville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN24LA200

2 people had minor injuries.

A partial loss of engine power due to an incorrect carburetor air inlet hose, which led to a reduction in air flow to the engine.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during the carburetor heat check on the engine run-up, the engine sounded like it backfired and then lost rpm. A second carburetor heat check was performed, and the engine operated normally. During initial climb after takeoff there was a decrease in engine rpm. The pilot verified that the engine controls were full forward and executed a forced landing to a field. During the forced landing, the airplane struck the top of a berm, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the engine showed evidence that the engine had a rich fuel-air mixture present at the time of the accident. Following the examination, the engine was test run multiple times. During the test runs, the engine performed without hesitation or stumbling when repeated aggressive throttle movements were made. Further examination showed that the carburetor air inlet hose was not the proper part and was not made to the manufacturer’s specifications. The engine was run without any notable issues when the carburetor air inlet hose was not attached. Due to the damage to the engine mount and cowlings, it was not possible to replicate the carburetor air inlet hose installation and failure mode at the time of the accident, but the effects of reduced airflow were demonstrated and were similar to the pilot’s reported loss of rpm. Based on the available information, the carburetor air inlet hose likely partially collapsed during the initial climb which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.