Event ERA15LA029

Factual narrative

On October 25, 2014, about 1330 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150, N8064Y, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a road in Tompkins, New York, following a total loss of engine power during initial climb from White Birch Field (NK68), Hancock, New York. The private pilot incurred minor injuries. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot owned the airplane and reported that although he had not flown the airplane for several months, he had recently completely several high speed taxis in the airplane. Prior to the accident flight, he completed a preflight inspection of the airplane, which included checking the fuel for water. The preflight inspection and engine run-up did not reveal any anomalies. The pilot intended to takeoff and remain in the airport traffic pattern for landing. During takeoff, about 300 feet above ground level and 100 feet beyond the end of the 1,910-foot long turf runway, the engine lost and regained power about three times. The pilot applied carburetor heat, but the engine then lost all power. The airplane was too low to attempt a return to the airport and the left wing subsequently struck a tree during an attempted forced landing to a road. The pilot added that he departed with 25 gallons of automobile gasoline and that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the airplane prior to the power loss. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane was not insured. The New York State Police responded to the accident site and confirmed adequate fuel onboard, before allowing the pilot to remove the wings and transport the airplane back to his residence. The inspector examined the wreckage at the residence 2 days after the accident. The examination revealed damage to the wings and forward fuselage. Due to the fuselage damage and disposition of the wreckage, the inspector was not able to rotate the propeller. He was also unable to check the fuel for contamination as the gascolator had fractured during impact and the pilot had defueled the airplane and disposed of the fuel before transporting it. The engine did not exhibit any evidence of catastrophic failure. The four-seat, high-wing, fixed-tricycle-gear airplane, serial number 22-7436, was manufactured in 1960. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320, 150-horsepower engine, equipped with a Sensenich two-blade fixed-pitch propeller. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on November 3, 2010. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 2,276.7 total hours of operation. The engine had accumulated 607.19 hours since overhaul. The airplane had flown about 17 hours during the approximate 4-year period from the time of the last annual inspection, until the accident. Review of an FAA Carburetor Icing chart for the temperature (61 degrees F) and dew point (45 degrees F) at the time of the accident revealed "Serious Icing (glide power);" however, the engine was at takeoff power when the power loss occurred. The pilot/owner had not flown the airplane for several months, but he had recently completed several high-speed taxis in the airplane. Before the accident flight, he completed a preflight inspection, which included checking the fuel for water. The preflight inspection and engine run-up did not reveal any anomalies. During takeoff, about 300 ft above ground level and 100 ft beyond the end of the runway, the engine lost and regained power about three times. The pilot applied carburetor heat, but the engine then lost all power. The airplane was too low to return to the airport, so the pilot conducted a forced landing to a road, and the left wing struck a tree. The pilot added that the airplane departed with 25 gallons of automobile gasoline onboard and that there were no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane before the power loss. After the accident, on-scene responders confirmed there was adequate fuel onboard the airplane, then the pilot removed the wings and transported the airplane back to his residence where it was examined 2 days later. Due to the fuselage damage and disposition of the wreckage, the propeller could not be rotated; however, the engine did not exhibit evidence of catastrophic failure. The fuel could not be checked for contamination because the gascolator had fractured during impact and the pilot had defueled the airplane and disposed of the fuel before transporting it. The airplane had been operated about 17 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was completed about 4 years before the accident; thus, the airplane was about 3 years overdue for an annual inspection. Although the temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were conducive to the accumulation of serious icing at glide power, the engine was at takeoff power when the power loss occurred.   Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Not determined-Not determined-(general)-(general)-Unknown/Not determined - C
• — Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Scheduled/routine inspection-Pilot