Rough Climb Over Lakeland
Carburetor ice, partial power loss on climb-out, and a forced-landing decision in a low-wing Piper — the window is measured in seconds
The scenario
Departing Lakeland Linder International Airport (KLAL), Lakeland, FL — Runway 10, climbing out on a 090° heading. Elevation 142 ft MSL; the runway is essentially at sea level. You are a Private pilot with roughly 250 hours total time in single-engine aircraft, current and proficient.
It is a hazy Florida morning in late spring: OAT 26°C, dew point 21°C, altimeter 29.94. Scattered clouds at 2,800 ft, light rain shower two miles to the northeast. Visibility 8 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.'
You are 450 ft AGL, climbing through 74 KIAS (Vy, best rate of climb), heading 090°, when the engine begins to run rough. Power is noticeably down — the tachometer is dropping. The terrain ahead is low-density development, open developed areas (parks/large lots), and dense development to the west. KLAL's tower is 24-hour and is open; you are in Class D airspace.
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee 180, solo, full fuel (both tanks), within limits. Carbureted Lycoming O-360-A, fixed-pitch prop, steam panel, fuel selector on RIGHT (the tank you selected for takeoff). 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 focused on the initial turn to 090°.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KLAL · Lakeland Linder'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '5/23 · 10/28'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '142 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'PA-28-180'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Landing / Takeoff'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about carburetor ice in the PA-28-180 and the fuel selector? (Pick all that apply; this records your baseline.)
What the record shows
What the NTSB files show
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 pilot had not applied carb heat during the run-up because the engine ran smoothly — exactly the trap in this scenario.
NTSB DEN07CA035 (2006): A Piper PA-28-180 on a personal flight lost engine power on base leg due to carburetor icing and made a forced landing attempt on a road. The pilot swerved to avoid car lights and struck a tree, resulting in substantial damage. The probable cause was loss of power due to carburetor icing in conditions conducive to serious icing, with contributing factors including unsuitable terrain and the tree obstacle. The pilot survived.
NTSB NYC02FA025 (2001, FATAL): A Piper PA-28-180 on a personal cross-country flight experienced engine failure due to carburetor icing and made a forced landing into trees near Mansfield, Ohio in darkness. The probable cause was the pilot's improper use of carburetor heat, with contributing factors including night conditions, trees, and the pilot's impairment from ingestion of an over-the-counter antihistamine. This accident was fatal.
The local environment at KLAL makes the Runway 10 departure particularly consequential: the off-field environment off Runway 10's departure end (heading 090°) is low-density development, open developed areas (parks/large lots), and dense development to the west. An engine failure on the Runway 10 departure at low altitude is a forced landing into that terrain — not a ditching, but a challenging off-airport landing. Runway 28's departure end (heading 270°) is even more constrained: medium development, evergreen forest, and low-density development — the worst off-field option at KLAL. This is not hypothetical; it is the NLCD ground cover off those runway ends.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports — NOT at Lakeland Linder International Airport. KLAL has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns: LOSS_OF_CONTROL_INFLIGHT 23.7%, LOSS_OF_CONTROL_GROUND 19.4%, FORCED_LANDING 17.2%), but these specific PA-28-180 carburetor ice events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KLAL 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 Lycoming 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 low-density development, the decision window is measured in seconds — not minutes. Off Runway 10 at KLAL, the off-field environment is low-density development and dense development: a delayed response means a forced landing into challenging terrain, not a return to the airport.
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 KLAL. 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 KLAL Runway 10, an engine failure on departure is a forced landing into low-density development.
The off-field environment off Runway 10's departure end (heading 090°) is low-density development, open developed areas (parks/large lots), and dense development to the west. There is no open water, but there are trees and buildings. If the engine quits on the Runway 10 departure and altitude is insufficient to return to the airport, the outcome is a forced landing into that terrain. Best glide is 65 KIAS. Door unlatched before landing. Master off just before impact. Flaps for slowest possible touchdown speed — impact energy rises with the square of touchdown speed, so the slowest possible speed matters most. Know this before you line up on Runway 10.
The PA-28-180 fuel selector is LEFT / RIGHT with NO BOTH position — you must actively switch tanks.
Unlike some Cessnas, the PA-28-180 has no BOTH position on the fuel selector. You must actively switch between LEFT and RIGHT tanks to balance fuel and avoid starvation. Running a selected tank dry — or taking off on a near-empty tank — is the signature starvation trap in the Piper Cherokee family. Verify fuel quantity in both tanks before flight, establish a tank-switching protocol (e.g., switch every 30 minutes), and monitor fuel quantity in the selected tank throughout flight. Carburetor ice and fuel starvation are the two most common engine-failure modes in the PA-28-180.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB DEN07CA035 (2006 PA-28-180 carburetor ice / forced landing on road), ATL03LA148 (2003 PA-28-180 carb ice on takeoff climb), and NYC02FA025 (2001 PA-28-180 fatal carb ice / forced landing in trees). Anonymized and localized to KLAL.
NTSB reports: DEN07CA035 · ATL03LA148 · NYC02FA025
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.
Open the interactive scenario →All sample scenarios · More Piper Cherokee 180 scenarios · More scenarios at KLAL