Piper PA-22 Emergency Landing Near Pearland Regional Airport (N4920Z)

Accident Overview and Flight Details On September 24, 2016, at approximately 1305 central daylight time, a Piper PA-22 airplane, registration N4920Z, sustained substantial damage during impact with terrain while maneuvering for an emergency landing near Pearland Regional Airport (LVJ), Pearland, Texas. The private pilot, who was the aircraft's registered owner, sustained serious injuries, while his passenger sustained minor injuries. The local flight, which originated from LVJ at approximately 1300, was conducted under Federal Code of Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The pilot reported completing a preflight inspection and topping off the fuel tanks before taxiing to runway 14 for takeoff. He checked his instruments, performed an engine run-up with the tachometer indicating 1,800 to 1,900 rpm, and verified the magnetos and carburetor heat. After lining up on the runway and advancing the throttle, the pilot reported that everything seemed normal. At 65 knots, he pulled back on the control wheel to take off. Between 100 and 200 feet above ground level, the pilot observed that the engine RPM remained at approximately 1,800 and was not increasing, and the airplane was not gaining altitude. He turned back toward the airport and attempted to make an emergency landing in a rough, vegetated field. During the approach, the pilot avoided a house and a barn before the left wing contacted a tree, causing the airplane to impact the ground nose-first. Both occupants exited the aircraft and were transported to a hospital. An FAA inspector who examined the wreckage at the accident site did not find any pre-impact anomalies with the engine or airframe, and fuel was present in the fuel tanks. The local METAR at the time indicated a temperature of 28°C and a dew point of 25°C. According to the Icing Probability Chart, these conditions could have made the engine susceptible to light carburetor icing at cruise or descent power, or borderline serious icing at descent power. The pilot reported that he did not use carburetor heat during takeoff and that the airplane had been running smoothly in recent flights. The Owner's Manual specifies that for takeoff, the throttle should be advanced to full power, with back pressure applied to lift the nose wheel at 65 mph. Once airborne, the nose should be lowered to climb at the best rate of climb speed of 75 mph. With a fixed-pitch propeller, 75 percent power can be maintained up to 7,000 feet by increasing RPM as altitude increases, with a maximum continuous RPM of 2,600. The Lycoming Operator's Manual states that for takeoff at performance cruise power (75 percent rated), the RPM should be 2,350.