ERA24LA277

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

During an instructional flight, after completing several maneuvers at 1,100 ft mean sea level (msl), the flight instructor told the student pilot to switch fuel tanks and climb to 2,000 ft msl. During the climb, the engine lost partial power. Shortly after, the flight instructor assumed control, and the engine lost all power. After unsuccessful attempts to regain engine power, which included use of the carburetor heat, the flight instructor executed a forced landing on a beach. During the landing, the instructor applied left aileron input in an attempt to avoid people on the beach, which resulted in the left wing impacting the ground, and the airplane came to rest upright on the beach. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and engine mount. Postaccident examination of the airplane, which included a successful test run of the engine, revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions near the accident site were conducive to serious carburetor icing at glide power; however, the reported loss of engine power occurred during a climb at higher power settings, where the probability of carburetor ice formation is reduced. Although carburetor ice could have developed earlier during lower power operations and become apparent during the climb, the available evidence was insufficient to determine whether carburetor ice accumulation contributed to the loss of engine power.

On June 24, 2024, about 1215 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-151 airplane, N890MA, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fire Island, New York. The flight instructor and student pilot were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to perform private pilot maneuvers. The airplane departed about 35 minutes before the accident with 50 gallons of fuel. After completing several maneuvers at 1,100 ft msl, the flight instructor told the student pilot to switch fuel tanks and climb to 2,000 ft msl. During the climb, the airplane’s engine lost partial power. Shortly after, the flight instructor assumed control and the engine lost all power. After unsuccessful attempts to regain engine power, which included the use of carburetor heat, the flight instructor executed a forced landing to a beach about 14 miles southwest of Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The flight instructor reported that, during the landing, she applied left aileron input in an attempt to avoid people on the beach, which resulted in the left wing impacting the ground. The airplane came to rest upright on the beach. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a FAA inspector found substantial damage to the engine mount and left wing. The left fuel tank was full of fuel, and the right fuel tank was approximately threequarters full. The fuel selector was positioned to the left fuel tank, and no anomalies were noted to the fuel system. Additional examinations, which included an engine test run performed at various power settings, revealed no anomalies. According to the carburetor icing probability chart contained in FAA Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35, Carburetor Icing Prevention, the atmospheric conditions recorded at a station about 10 nautical miles northeast of the accident site were conducive to the development of serious carburetor icing at glide engine power settings. According to the airplane’s Pilot’s Operating Manual (POH), engine roughness is usually due to carburetor icing, which is indicated by a drop in rpm. If too much ice is allowed to accumulate, restoration of full engine power may not be possible; therefore, prompt application of carburetor heat is required.