Piper PA-28-140 accident near Maryland Heights, Missouri, October 25, 2012
On October 25, 2012 at about 1:40 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N55620, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Maryland Heights, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to activate the carburetor heat while operating in conditions conducive to carburetor icing, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to carburetor ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2012 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Maryland Heights, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N55620 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7325445
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane was approaching the destination airport for a night landing, a witness saw the airplane maneuvering as it passed overhead. She also remarked that the engine sounded like it was sputtering and thought that the pilot was attempting to land the airplane on the beach of a nearby lake. The airplane impacted the water and cartwheeled before sinking. A test run of the engine was conducted; the engine started and ran at various power settings. An examination of the airplane and engine revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The temperature and dew point about the time of the accident indicated that the airplane was operating in conditions that were conducive to serious icing at glide power. The pilot was in an extended descent and most likely had the power on the engine reduced for the descent. Although the carburetor heat was found on it is unknown when the pilot activated the carburetor heat. The engine controls were in positions consistent with an attempt to restart the engine; it is likely that the loss of engine power was due to carburetor ice and that the carburetor heat was not activated until after the engine began to lose power.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during approach
- Fuel related during approach defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 27,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 2012; 9 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Delware OH
- Destination: Maryland Heights MO
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 am from KSTL, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.