Piper PA22 accident near Dalhart, Texas, January 11, 2024
On January 11, 2024 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1955 Piper PA22, registered N2513P, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Dalhart, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing and the pilot’s failure to utilize carburetor heat in meteorological conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor icing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2024 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Dalhart, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 150, built 1955 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N2513P · registry record · serial 22-2875
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that prior to descending during the cross-country flight, he activated the carburetor heat. As the pilot initiated the descent, the engine began “coughing” and was “progressively failing,” until a total loss of engine power occurred. The pilot switched fuel tanks, he adjusted the mixture, and he activated the carburetor heat to no avail. During the forced landing to a remote grass field covered with snow, the airplane came to rest inverted, and the pilot was able to egress from the airplane without further incident. The pilot reported to first responders that the carburetor had “iced up.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. When the temperature and the dewpoint near the time of the accident were plotted on a carburetor icing probability graph, it was revealed that the airplane was likely operating in meteorological conditions conducive to the formation of carburetor icing (for both glide and cruise power settings). The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The Piper Aircraft PA-22-150 Tri-Pacer Owner’s Handbook discusses the use of carburetor heat during cruise operations and states, “unless icing conditions in the carburetor are severe, do not cruise with the carburetor heat on” and “apply full carburetor heat only for a few seconds at intervals determined by icing severity.”
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 (total) during enroute (descent) defining event
- Other weather encounter during enroute (descent)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during enroute (descent)
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Evacuation during post (impact)
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Ice/rain protection system › Intake anti › ice, deice › Not used/operated
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Awareness of condition
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Failure
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 90 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,588.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EIK Erie CO at 6:00 pm
- Destination: DHT Dalhart TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.41 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KDHT, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDHT 111853Z AUTO 24019G29KT 10SM CLR 07/M04 A2941 RMK AO2 PK WND 23032/1835 SLP959 T00671039
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.