Accident Details
On October 17, 2020, about 1742 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, registration N4673R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pierce County Airport – Thun Field (PLU), Puyallup, Washington. The flight instructor, one student pilot, and one passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.
Pilot Reports
The student pilot reported an uneventful preflight, runup, and takeoff. They proceeded to PLU to conduct touch-and-go landings. The first landing was a soft field landing and takeoff. Due to a busy traffic pattern, they flew a wide pattern with a slightly faster than normal approach. After the second touch-and-go, while climbing with full power through about 500 ft, the engine sputtered momentarily. The instructor took over the flight controls and continued on a left crosswind when the engine power reduced to idle. The instructor turned the airplane back toward the airport and ensured the fuel selector was on, throttle and mixture were full forward, and both magnetos were on. The student pilot pressed the starter, but the engine continued to idle and the airplane descended. Unable to reach the airport, the instructor performed an off-airport landing. The airplane touched down momentarily, bounced back into ground effect, and impacted a few trees before coming to a stop in a parking lot. Substantial damage occurred to the right wing and fuselage.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The engine was rotated by hand; continuity was established throughout the drivetrain, and thumb compression was present. The carburetor bowl was removed, and fuel was found within the bowl. When the throttle was moved, fuel expelled from the accelerator pump. A small fuel tank was connected to the right-wing fuel line, and the engine was prepared for an engine run. The engine started normally, exhibited slight roughness, but smoothed out within seconds. Fuel and oil pressure gauges indicated normal pressure. The throttle was manipulated, and the engine responded accordingly with no anomalies noted.
Carburetor Icing Conditions
The temperature and dewpoint were plotted on the FAA Carburetor Icing Chart. Conditions fell on the line between serious icing at cruise power and serious icing at glide power. The flight instructor reported to the FAA inspector that he did not use carburetor heat once the engine started to sputter.