On April 24, 1997, a Piper PA-38-112 (registration N6299A) was involved in an aviation accident near Tampa, FL. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: loss of engine for undetermined reason(s), which resulted in a forced landing and subsequent collision with a fence. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
While cruising at 1,100 feet with engine at 2,200 rpm, power was lost. Restart attempts failed, leading to a forced landing in a field where the aircraft hit a fence. Post-accident examination found uncontaminated fuel and no engine malfunction; icing conditions were not present.
Accident Details
During cruise flight at an altitude of 1,100 feet and an engine speed of 2,200 rpm, the aircraft experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. A forced landing was executed in a field. During the landing, the aircraft collided with a fence.
Post-Accident Examination
After the accident, investigators examined the aircraft. Each fuel tank contained uncontaminated fuel. The engine was started and operated to full power without any evidence of failure or malfunction. Additionally, icing probability curves indicated that the aircraft was not operating in conditions conducive to serious carburetor icing at the time of the accident.