Challenger N97KV accident near Clarksville, Tennessee

Probable cause

The loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.

NTSB analysis

The pilot performed the descent, the approach, aligned his airplane with the runway and flew the length of the runway at a power setting of approximately “70 percent.” At the completion of the low pass and a few seconds into the climb, the pilot noticed a “lack of climb performance with full power applied” and performed a forced landing to trees.

The pilot stated there was nothing wrong with the performance and handling of the airplane prior to initiating the climb. Atmospheric conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to “serious icing at glide power.”

Following the accident, the airplane’s engine, which was not equipped with carburetor heat, was successfully run on the airframe with no anomalies noted that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA20LA188 for the full record.