Culver PQ 14A accident near Hickory, NC
On October 1, 2016, a Culver PQ 14A (airplane) was involved in an accident near Hickory, NC. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 1, 2016
- Place
- Hickory, NC
- Aircraft
- Culver PQ 14A · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.724°N, 81.388°W
- NTSB ID
- 20161001X44216
Official records · ERA17FA001
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 1, 2016, at 1310 eastern daylight time, a Culver PQ-14A, N4648V, collided with trees, terrain, and a commercial building during a forced landing after takeoff from the Hickory Regional Airport (HKY), Hickory, North Carolina. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight. Information from witnesses and HKY air traffic control tower controllers revealed that the airplane's engine stopped producing power during taxi for takeoff. The pilot explained to the controller that he "didn't know why it quit," but that he got the engine restarted. The airplane then departed from runway 24. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot reported to the controller that he was "having engine problems" and announced his intention to return to HKY. The controller provided the altimeter setting, the wind information, and cleared the airplane to land on "any runway." Radar data revealed that the airplane was about 2 miles south of HKY when it reversed course in the direction of runway 01. The radar track ended near the accident site, which was about on the extended centerline of runway 01 and about 1 mile south of the approach end of the runway. Witnesses near the accident site described the engine sound as "sputtering" and "revving up and down." According to one witness, "I saw [the airplane] come over the hill, it was sputte
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to carburetor icing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's use of automobile gasoline, which increased the likelihood of carburetor icing.
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Browse: North Carolina
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
