Piper PA28 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, February 27, 2015
On February 27, 2015 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1978 Piper PA28, registered N2122K, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Jacksonville, Florida. It was an instructional 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 ice.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2015 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 181, built 1978 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N2122K · registry record · serial 28-7990237
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was returning from a solo cross-country flight and had just completed a crosscheck of the instruments when the engine started to "sputter" and lose power. Although he began performing the emergency checklist for a loss of engine power, he could not recall if he completed all of the items on the checklist. The student subsequently performed a forced landing to a nearby field, which resulted in substantial damage to the airplane's fuselage and both wings. During the postaccident examination of the airplane, which included a successful engine test run, no anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions at the time of the accident were conducive to serious carburetor icing at cruise power. Since postaccident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies, it is likely that the loss of power was a result of carburetor ice accumulation. Had the student performed all items on the emergency checklist, he may have been able to restore engine power after application of carburetor heat.
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 (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Conducive to carburetor icing › Effect on equipment
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 81 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 14 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,458.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2014; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 10,767 hours total
- Operator: Jacksonville Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: LCQ Lake City FL at 4:30 pm
- Destination: NIP Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from LCQ, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on September 27, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Maintenance Records Airframe | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records Engine | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Carburetor Icing Probability Chart | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Record of Conversation Florida Air Recovery | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.