Manhattan, KS, USA
N9263H
CESSNA 172M
The pilot flew a low approach to a turf runway with an upslope and then attempted a go around with an airspeed of about 55 knots and the flaps extended. The pilot noted a partial loss of engine power and noted that the airplane would not climb. The airplane descended slightly and subsequently impacted trees and fence poles beyond the departure end of the runway, which damaged both wings. Postaccident examination of the airplane and engines revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated he did not apply carburetor heat during the approach. With the probability of serious carburetor icing at glide power, the lack of carburetor heat likely contributed to the partial loss of engine power during the go-around attempt. Another pilot familiar with the airport reported that the runway’s upslope was difficult to fly over. Because the pilot did not maintain a higher airspeed during the low approach and initiate the go-around earlier, he flew an unsuitable profile for the upsloping runway.
On April 20, 2022, about 1915 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N9263H, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Smith Airport (43KS), Manhattan, Kansas. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the passenger was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported flying a visual approach to a 2,800-ft turf runway that had an upslope. When the airplane was about two-thirds down the runway, at an airspeed of about 55 knots, and with its flaps extended, the pilot applied full throttle. The pilot perceived a partial loss of engine power based on lower-than-expected noise and the airplane’s inability to climb normally. The airplane descended slightly and subsequently impacted trees and fence poles off the end of the runway, which substantially damaged both wings. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal power. The pilot stated that he did not apply carburetor heat during the visual approach. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35, Carburetor Icing Prevention, the airplane had a probability of encountering serious carburetor icing at glide power near the accident location. A pilot familiar with 43KS reported that the runway upslope was “deceiving and can sneak up on you” and that a creek at the departure end often produced “dead air” and a loss of lift, which demonstrated the importance of executing a flyover with excess airspeed. After the accident, the pilot stated that he should have maintained a higher airspeed during the low approach and initiated the go-around earlier.
The pilot’s failure to use carburetor heat during the approach and his unsuitable flight profile for an upsloping runway, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power and an impact with terrain during an attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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