Rough Climb Over Tampa Bay
Carburetor ice, fuel-selector discipline, and a low-altitude decision over water — the Piper Cherokee 180's signature trap
The scenario
Departing St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport (KPIE), Pinellas Park, FL — Runway 04, climbing out on a 040° heading over open water and developed areas. Field elevation 11 ft MSL; the runway is essentially at sea level.
It is a hazy Florida afternoon in late spring: OAT 27°C, dew point 21°C, altimeter 29.92. Scattered clouds at 2,500 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.' The Piper Cherokee 180's carbureted Lycoming O-360 is particularly susceptible.
You are 450 ft AGL, climbing through 74 KIAS (Vy, best rate of climb), heading 040°, when the engine begins to run rough. Power is noticeably down — the tachometer is dropping. Open water and developed areas fill the windscreen ahead. KPIE's tower is part-time (0600–2300) and is open; you are in Class D airspace.
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee 180, solo, full fuel (both tanks), within limits. Carbureted Lycoming O-360, fixed-pitch prop, steam panel, fuel selector on LEFT (you switched to LEFT at the start of the takeoff roll). Nothing was written up; the airplane was airworthy at departure.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 200 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 heading.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KPIE · St. Petersburg Clearwater'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '4/22 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '11 ft'}
- {'label': 'Aircraft', 'value': 'PA-28-180'}
- {'label': 'Dominant phase', 'value': 'Takeoff / Landing'}
The decision
Before we get into the decision tree — what do you already know about carburetor ice in the PA-28-180 and fuel-selector discipline? (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 lost engine power on base leg due to carburetor icing. 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 loss of power due to carburetor icing in conditions conducive to serious icing. The unsuitable terrain and tree obstacle contributed to the accident.
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.
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.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft types — NOT at KPIE. DEN07CA035 happened in Colorado; ATL03LA148 in Alabama; NYC02FA025 in Ohio. KPIE has its own accident history (dominant patterns: loss of control in flight 21.2%, loss of control on ground 15.2%, stall/spin 12.1%, gear-up landing 9.1%, obstacle on takeoff/landing 9.1%), but these specific carburetor icing events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KPIE 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.
Off Runway 04 at KPIE (climb-out heading 040°), the off-field environment is open water — mostly open water with some open developed areas (parks/large lots). An engine failure on the Runway 04 departure at low altitude is a ditching, not a field landing. This is the geographic reality of this runway. Know it before you line up.
Key lesson — In warm, moist Gulf Coast air, the PA-28-180's carbureted O-360 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 water, the decision window is measured in seconds — not minutes. Off Runway 04 at KPIE, the off-field environment is open water: a delayed response means a ditching, not a field landing. Additionally, remember that the PA-28-180 fuel selector is LEFT / RIGHT with no BOTH position — you must actively manage tanks, and running a selected tank dry is the signature starvation trap. Carb ice and fuel starvation are the two most common engine-failure modes in the Cherokee 180.
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 afternoon conditions at KPIE. 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 is carbureted; it has no fuel injection and no alternate air system. Carburetor heat is the only tool. NTSB ATL03LA148 shows a pilot who failed to apply carb heat on the takeoff climb in exactly these conditions — the engine failed during climb.
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. The NTSB DEN07CA035 pilot did not recognize the early signs until power loss was severe.
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 KPIE Runway 04, an engine failure on departure is a ditching.
The off-field environment off Runway 04's departure end (heading 040°) is open water — mostly open water with some open developed areas (parks/large lots). There is no alternate landing surface. If the engine quits on the Runway 04 departure and altitude is insufficient to return to the airport, the outcome is a ditching. This is not a worst-case scenario; it is the geographic reality. Best glide is 65 KIAS. Cabin door unlatched before water contact. 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 04.
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 during flight. Running a selected tank dry — or taking off on a near-empty tank — is the signature starvation trap in the Cherokee 180. NTSB NYC02FA025 involved a PA-28-180 with carburetor icing, but fuel starvation is equally deadly in this airplane. Establish a tank-switching protocol: switch tanks every 15–20 minutes, monitor fuel quantity gauges, and never depart with less than full tanks. Carb ice and fuel starvation are the two most common engine-failure modes in the Cherokee 180.
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 27°C and dew point near 21°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 450 ft AGL over open water is waiting too long. NTSB ATL03LA148 is a cautionary tale: the pilot did not apply carb heat proactively and paid the price.
Built from the real accident record
Scenario built from NTSB DEN07CA035 (2006 PA-28-180 carburetor ice / forced landing), ATL03LA148 (2003 PA-28-180 carb ice on takeoff climb), and NYC02FA025 (2001 PA-28-180 carb ice / forced landing, fatal). Localized to KPIE.
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.
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