What happened
On August 14, 2015, a Piper PA 28-180 was performing a private VFR flight from Punitz-Güssing Airport (LOGG) with one pilot and one passenger. Shortly after departing from runway 15, the pilot experienced a sudden loss of engine power at an altitude of approximately 40 meters.
In response to the power loss, the pilot initiated a right turn to perform an emergency landing in a nearby fallow field. While the engine power briefly recovered for a few seconds, it subsequently dropped again. The pilot successfully brought the aircraft down in the field, but was unable to stop the aircraft before it struck a ditch located at the edge of the field. The impact caused the nose gear to separate and the aircraft to capsize over its lateral axis, coming to rest upside down in a cornfield. Both occupants were able to exit the aircraft independently without injury.
The investigation
The SUB investigation examined the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that a 100-hour inspection had been completed earlier that day. The investigation also reviewed the engine, fuel system, and environmental conditions. Technical analysis of the Lycoming O-360 engine showed no mechanical defects in the cylinders, ignition, or exhaust systems. The investigation also considered the impact of high ambient temperatures (approximately 34°C) and the recent engine ground run, which had left the engine bay warm.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the collision with a ditch at the end of the landing field.
- An unidentified loss of engine power occurred during the initial climb.
- It is possible that vapor lock occurred in the carburetor float chamber. The high ambient temperature, combined with heat soak from the recently operated engine, may have created conditions favorable to the formation of vapor bubbles in the fuel system, temporarily interrupting the fuel supply.
- The emergency landing maneuver was complicated by a wooded area at the edge of the field, which forced a steeper approach angle and prevented the pilot from slowing the aircraft sufficiently to stop before the ditch.