N5666UPiper PA-28-140 · 1969

On September 3, 2022, about 1409 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N5666U, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Wadsworth Municipal Airport (3G3), Wadsworth, Ohio. The private pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot reported that she arrived at Medina Municipal Airport (1G5), Medina, Ohio. She added 20 gallons of aviation gasoline to the airplane, resulting in a total fuel quantity of 36 gallons. The pilot then conducted a preflight inspection and an engine run-up with the fuel selector positioned to the left main fuel tank. No anomalies were noted during the engine run-up. Afterward, she switched the fuel selector to the right main fuel tank and departed about 1310. The pilot completed two full-stop landings at 1G5 performed some air work over the local area, and then switched the fuel selector to the left main fuel tank. She then flew to 3G3, which was about 10 minutes away.

The pilot intended to complete a touch-and-go landing at 3G3 and return to 1G5. After the landing on runway 20 at 3G3 (a 3,530-ft-long runway), the airplane’s engine lost total power during the initial climb, when the airplane was about 50 ft above ground level. The airplane slowed, and the pilot “pushed the nose over to start regaining speed.” The airplane then landed hard, coming to rest in a grass area off the right edge of the runway. During the hard landing, the left main landing gear separated, and both wings sustained damage.

Review of airport security video revealed that the airplane was in a nose-up attitude as it descended and impacted the right side of the runway with about one-third of the runway remaining.

A witness (a flight instructor who worked at the airport) stated that he responded to the accident site. He noticed that the airplane’s rotating beacon was still operating and that he shut down the airplane as a safety precaution. The witness remembered that the throttle and mixture controls were fully forward and that the carburetor heat was off. He also recalled moving the fuel selector to the off position but couldn’t remember its position before moving it.

A postaccident engine examination found about 2 to 4 gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank and 20 gallons in the left fuel tank. After the propeller was rotated by hand, continuity was confirmed to the rear accessory section of the engine. No anomalies were found with the spark plugs, oil filter, or fuel filter. Fuel was present in the carburetor bowl, and the air filter was dirty.

A mechanic subsequently examined the airplane. He did not observe any preimpact anomalies and tried to start the engine with a battery jumper (because the battery was dead). The crankshaft turned, and the spark plugs were producing spark, but the engine did not start after multiple attempts. The mechanic thought that the airplane might need a new, fully charged battery (stronger crank) or that the carburetor might need adjustment given that it had been removed, examined, and reinstalled.

Review of an FAA carburetor icing chart revealed the potential for serious icing at glide power for the reported temperature and dew point about the time of the accident.