Piper PA28 N5575U accident near Parker, Colorado

Probable cause

A partial loss of engine power during initial climb due to carburetor icing, and the pilot's failure to effectively use carburetor heat in conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor ice.

NTSB analysis

After completing the preflight inspection, the pilot reported a normal engine runup and recalled checking the carburetor heat and magnetos twice before takeoff. He started the takeoff roll and noticed that the roll was a "little longer than normal” and that the airplane’s climb performance was poor. He applied carburetor heat, noted a loss of rpm, then turned the carburetor heat off. Shortly thereafter, the airplane started to descend, and the pilot performed a forced landing to a field.

Examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to the formation of serious carburetor icing at cruise power settings. Since postaccident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies, it is likely that the loss of power was a result of carburetor ice accumulation. It is possible that carburetor ice formed before departure, when the engine was operating at a low power setting, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during the initial climb.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA19LA027 for the full record.