On July 22, 1986, a Piper PA-25-260 (registration N8629L) operated by Darrell Hillestad was involved in an aviation accident near Sisseton, SD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's decision to abort the takeoff and swerve to avoid a fence, which resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear; however, the underlying mechanical issue was a broken carburetor heat cable that had worn through. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot aborted takeoff after engine power dropped, swerving to avoid a fence and collapsing the left main landing gear due to a broken carburetor heat cable.
What happened
The pilot reported that the engine lost approximately 200 RPM during the takeoff roll. Due to this sudden loss of power, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff. During the abort maneuver, the pilot swerved to avoid a fence located at the end of the runway. This evasive action caused the aircraft to slide sideways, resulting in the collapse of the left main landing gear.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed a broken carburetor heat cable. The inspection showed that the cable was worn in the area where the break occurred. The design of the system dictates that when this specific cable breaks, the heat valve defaults to the hot position.
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to abort the takeoff and swerve to avoid a fence, which resulted in the collapse of the left main landing gear; however, the underlying mechanical issue was a broken carburetor heat cable that had worn through.