Piper PA32 N5566J accident near Greenville, South Carolina

Probable cause

A partial loss of engine power due to the pilot’s delayed application of carburetor heat, which resulted in carburetor icing.

NTSB analysis

According to the pilot, after performing two takeoffs and landings, he was instructed to extend the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. During the extended downwind leg, the engine began to lose power. The pilot attempted to restore full power (actions which included applying carburetor heat), and turned directly to the airport while notifying the tower controller of his emergency. The airplane subsequently collided with a building during a descending turn.

A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A review of the weather conditions at the accident airport revealed that the weather conditions at the time were conducive to the formation of carburetor ice at glide power settings. Given this information, it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to an accumulation of ice in the carburetor, and that the pilot’s application of carburetor heat after the engine had begun to lose power was insufficient to restore the power before the airplane impacted the ground.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA054 for the full record.