Power Loss on Climb-Out
Partial engine failure in a Piper Cherokee 180 over dense development — a forced-landing decision at low altitude with poor off-field options
The scenario
Departing Clearwater Air Park (KCLW), Clearwater, FL — Runway 16, climbing out on a 155° heading. Elevation 71 ft MSL; the runway is essentially at sea level. You are a Private pilot, roughly 250 hours total, in a Piper Cherokee 180 (PA-28-180), solo, full fuel, within limits.
It is a warm, humid Florida morning in late spring: OAT 26°C, dew point 20°C, altimeter 29.91. Scattered clouds at 2,800 ft, light rain shower two miles to the northeast. Visibility 9 SM. Classic Gulf Coast conditions — warm, moist, and exactly the environment the FAA icing probability chart marks as 'serious icing at glide power, moderate icing at cruise power.' The Lycoming O-360-A is carbureted; it has no fuel injection and no alternate air system.
You are 350 ft AGL, climbing through 72 KIAS (near Vy), heading 155°, when the engine begins to run rough. Power is noticeably down — the tachometer is dropping. The airplane is still climbing, but the rate is diminishing. Off the Runway 16 departure end (heading 155°), the off-field environment is dense development — low-density residential, medium development, scattered parks. There is no open field, no water, no road suitable for a forced landing. KCLW is non-towered (CTAF); you are in Class G airspace, but the overlying Tampa Class B begins at 3,000 ft MSL.
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee 180, carbureted Lycoming O-360-A, fixed-pitch prop, fixed gear, steam panel. Fuel selector is LEFT / RIGHT (no BOTH position) — you took off on the RIGHT tank, which was full. Nothing was written up; the airplane was airworthy at departure.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 250 hours total. You did not apply carburetor heat during the run-up because the engine ran smoothly. You did not apply it after takeoff because you were heads-down on the climb and the engine sounded normal at first.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KCLW · Clearwater Air Park'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '16/34'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '71 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'PA-28-180'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Approach'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about the Piper Cherokee 180's fuel system and engine failure modes? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
NTSB DEN07CA035 (2006): A Piper PA-28-180 on a personal flight encountered carburetor ice on base leg to landing. The engine lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a road, swerved to avoid car lights, and struck a tree, resulting in substantial damage. The probable cause was carburetor icing in conditions conducive to serious icing, with contributing factors including unsuitable terrain and the tree obstacle. The pilot did not apply carburetor heat proactively.
NTSB ATL03LA148 (2003): A Piper PA-28-180 on a personal flight experienced engine power loss during takeoff climb after extended ground operation in conditions favorable for carburetor icing. The probable cause was the pilot's failure to apply carburetor heat prior to takeoff, allowing ice to form in the induction system. The engine lost power at low altitude with no suitable off-field landing surface.
NTSB NYC03LA096 (2003): A Piper PA-28-180 on an instructional flight experienced partial engine power loss on initial climb after takeoff and made a forced landing in a field. The accident resulted from an inadequate 100-hour inspection that failed to detect a loose fuel line connection. A factor related to the accident was night conditions, which reduced visibility of suitable landing surfaces.
NTSB ANC25LA094 (2025): A Piper PA-28-180 experienced partial engine power loss with vibration during climb-out following a low-altitude runway inspection pass and made a forced landing in terrain. The accident resulted from engine malfunction that prevented continued climb.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft types — NOT at Clearwater Air Park. KCLW has its own accident history (dominant patterns: forced landing 22.2%, loss of control 18.5%, gear-up landing 18.5%, hard landing 11.1%, fuel starvation 11.1%), but these specific NTSB events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KCLW to make the off-field environment real and consequential for you as a student here.
The consistent thread across all these events: carburetor ice in the PA-28-180 is insidious. It builds gradually, the first symptom is roughness and a dropping tachometer (not a dramatic power cut), and by the time it is obvious, it may be too late for a comfortable recovery. The fix — full carburetor heat, immediately, at the first sign of roughness in conducive conditions — is simple. The failure is always a delay.
Key lesson — In warm, moist Gulf Coast air, the PA-28-180's carbureted O-360-A can accumulate serious carburetor ice even at cruise power and above-freezing temperatures. Apply full carburetor heat at the first sign of engine roughness or unexplained RPM loss. At low altitude over dense development, the decision window is measured in seconds — not minutes. Off Runway 16 at KCLW, the off-field environment is dense residential development: a delayed response means a forced landing into obstacles, not a field landing.
Debrief — teaching points
Carburetor ice forms in conditions you would not expect.
The FAA icing probability chart shows 'serious icing at glide power' at temperatures between roughly 20°C and 30°C when relative humidity is high — exactly the Gulf Coast morning conditions at KCLW. You do not need visible ice, freezing temperatures, or IMC. Warm, moist air at reduced power is the classic carb-ice environment. The PA-28-180's Lycoming O-360-A is carbureted; it has no fuel injection and no alternate air system. Carburetor heat is the only tool.
The first symptom is subtle — a dropping tachometer and engine roughness.
In a fixed-pitch airplane like the PA-28-180, carburetor ice first shows as engine roughness and an unexplained RPM decrease. There is no dramatic power cut. Pilots who are not actively monitoring the tachometer miss the early warning. By the time the roughness is obvious, significant ice has accumulated. Scan the tachometer as part of your regular instrument scan, especially in conducive conditions.
Apply full carburetor heat — not partial — and expect an initial RPM drop.
When you apply carb heat to an iced carburetor, the RPM will drop further before it rises. This is expected and normal: the heat is melting ice and the resulting water is briefly disrupting combustion. Do not remove carb heat when the RPM drops — that is the heat working. Hold it full on. The RPM will recover as the ice clears, typically within 15–30 seconds depending on ice accumulation. Partial carb heat can worsen the situation by partially melting ice into water ingestion without fully clearing the restriction.
At KCLW Runway 16, an engine failure on departure is a forced landing into development.
The off-field environment off Runway 16's departure end (heading 155°) is dense residential development — low-density residential, medium development, scattered parks. There is no open field, no water, no ideal landing surface. If the engine quits on the Runway 16 departure and altitude is insufficient to return to the airport, the outcome is a forced landing into obstacles: power lines, trees, buildings. This is not a worst-case scenario; it is the geographic reality. Best glide is 65 KIAS. Minimize impact energy by flying the slowest possible approach speed. Know this before you line up on Runway 16.
The PA-28-180 fuel selector is LEFT / RIGHT — no BOTH position. Active tank management is required.
Unlike Cessnas with a BOTH position, the PA-28-180 requires the pilot to actively switch tanks during flight. Running a selected tank dry — or taking off on a near-empty tank — is a signature starvation trap in Piper Cherokees. Always verify fuel quantity in both tanks before takeoff. Establish a tank-switching protocol during cruise (e.g., switch every 30 minutes). If you experience roughness and suspect fuel starvation, check the fuel selector and the fuel gauges immediately. However, in this scenario, the fuel selector was on RIGHT and the RIGHT tank was full — so fuel starvation was not the cause. Carburetor ice was.
Proactive carb heat use in conducive conditions is not optional.
The PA-28-180 POH and the FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge both recommend applying carburetor heat when conditions are conducive to icing — before the symptom appears. In a Gulf Coast summer departure, with OAT near 26°C and dew point near 20°C, that means applying carb heat during the run-up check (and confirming the expected RPM drop, then recovery) and considering its use during climb in visible moisture or high humidity. Waiting for the roughness to appear at 350 ft AGL over development is waiting too long.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB DEN07CA035 (2006 PA-28-180 carburetor ice on base leg), ATL03LA148 (2003 PA-28-180 carb heat failure on takeoff climb), NYC03LA096 (2003 PA-28-180 loose fuel line on initial climb), and ANC25LA094 (2025 PA-28-180 partial power loss on climb-out). Localized to Clearwater Air Park (KCLW), FL.
NTSB reports: DEN07CA035 · ATL03LA148 · NYC03LA096 · ANC25LA094
ACS tasks: PA.I.F — Weather Information · PA.I.G — Cross-Country Flight Planning · PA.IX.C — Emergency Approach and Landing · PA.I.H — Human Factors · PA.II.B — Engine Starting / Systems Preflight
Relevant FARs: §91.3 · §91.13 · §91.185
Step through the full decision tree, make the calls, and see where each choice leads — then debrief it with your CFI.
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