Piper PA-28-140 N7598R accident near Lancaster, New York

Probable cause

The loss of engine power during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examination of the engine or testing of the carburetor.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that she noted no discrepancies during the preflight inspection, engine run-up, or start of the takeoff; however, when the airplane was about 200 ft above the end of the runway, the engine "coughed," and the airplane began losing altitude. The engine power was restored briefly, but the engine subsequently quit. The pilot landed the airplane straight ahead and touched down in an abandoned field with high grass. The nose landing gear impacted rising terrain, which resulted in the gear collapsing.

Postaccident examination of the carburetor revealed that the bowl assembly could be moved by hand pressure in relation to the throttle body assembly. Although the carburetor bowl was loose and such a condition is the subject of a service bulletin, the pilot could not have detected this condition during her preflight inspection, and it likely did not exist when the engine was last inspected nearly 10 months before the accident. During dynamic testing of the carburetor with down clamping force applied on its top portion, a slightly richer-than-specified fuel flow was noted. However, the color of the spark plugs was consistent with a lean-mixture condition. Thus, it is unlikely that the carburetor's condition contributed to the loss of engine power. The reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA15LA187 for the full record.