What happened
On 22 June 2010, a Piper PA-28-161 Cherokee Warrior II, registration G-BSPI, was performing a private flight at Gloucestershire Airport. The pilot was engaged in circuit practice and had successfully completed the first circuit of the session. During the base leg of the second circuit, the pilot activated the carburettor heat.
While on short final, at an altitude of approximately 150 ft, the pilot attempted to increase power to maintain the glideslope indicated by the PAPI. However, the engine failed to respond to the throttle increase. Because the pilot was using a noise-cancelling headset, he was unable to hear whether the engine was idling or windmilling. Lacking the necessary airspeed and altitude to reach the runway, the pilot performed a forced landing into a large hedge at the edge of a field. The pilot escaped the crash without injury, but the aircraft sustained extensive damage to the engine mounts, propeller, landing gear, fuselage, and wing spar.
The investigation
Following the accident, the aircraft was examined by the engineering organisation responsible for its maintenance. Investigators looked for evidence of mechanical or fuel system failures. The inspection of both the engine and the fuel system revealed no defects present prior to the impact. Additionally, the pilot noted that the engine had performed normally during the flight up to the point of the power loss and that the carburettor heat system had been verified as functional before takeoff.