Power Loss on the Climb-Out
Partial engine failure in a Piper Cherokee 180 departing Tampa International — dense development surrounds the airport, and the decision window is measured in seconds
The scenario
Departing Tampa International Airport (KTPA), Runway 10, climbing out on a 092° heading into dense Tampa development. Elevation 26 ft MSL; the runway is essentially at sea level.
It is a warm, humid 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.'
You are 500 ft AGL, climbing through 74 KIAS (Vy), heading 092°, when the engine begins to run rough. Power is noticeably down — the tachometer is dropping. Dense development — parks, commercial lots, and medium-density residential — fills the windscreen ahead and to both sides. KTPA's tower is active 24 hours; you are in Class B airspace (ceiling 10,000 MSL). The runway is behind you.
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-180, solo, fuel tanks checked and balanced at preflight, within limits. Carbureted Lycoming O-360, fixed-pitch prop, steam panel, fuel selector on LEFT (the tank you selected for takeoff). Nothing was written up; the airplane was airworthy at departure.
Pilot: you — a Private pilot, current, roughly 180 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 takeoff power.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KTPA · Tampa'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '10/28 · 19L/01R · 19R/01L'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '26 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 the PA-28-180's fuel system and engine icing? (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, lost engine power, and the pilot 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 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.
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 probable cause was an inadequate 100-hour inspection by maintenance personnel that failed to detect a loose fuel line connection. Night conditions were a contributing factor.
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 local environment at KTPA makes this scenario particularly unforgiving: Runway 10's departure end is dense development — parks, commercial lots, and medium-density residential. An engine failure on the Runway 10 departure at low altitude is a forced landing in that development, not a field landing. There is no open field, no road, no clear area. The development is the off-field environment. This is not hypothetical; it is the NLCD ground cover off that runway end.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at Tampa International Airport. KTPA has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns), but these specific events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KTPA 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 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 development, the decision window is measured in seconds — not minutes. Off Runway 10 at KTPA, the off-field environment is dense development: a delayed response means a forced landing in unsuitable terrain, 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 afternoon conditions at KTPA. 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 or 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 KTPA Runway 10, an engine failure on departure is a forced landing in development.
The off-field environment off Runway 10's departure end (heading 092°) is dense development — parks, commercial lots, and medium-density residential. There is no alternate landing surface. If the engine quits on the Runway 10 departure and altitude is insufficient to return to the airport, the outcome is a forced landing in that development. This is not a worst-case scenario; it is the geographic reality. Best glide is 65 KIAS. Fuel selector to OFF, mixture to idle cutoff, 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 — active tank management is required.
Unlike some Cessnas, the PA-28-180 has no BOTH position on the fuel selector. You must actively switch tanks. Running a selected tank dry — or taking off on a near-empty tank — is the signature starvation trap in this airplane. Preflight both tanks visually and by quantity. Plan your tank switching during cruise (typically every 15–20 minutes), and never let a tank run completely empty. If you experience roughness and suspect fuel starvation, switch tanks immediately. But in warm, moist conditions, carburetor ice is the more likely culprit.
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 ice failure to apply heat on takeoff), NYC03LA096 (2003 PA-28-180 loose fuel line on initial climb), and ANC25LA094 (2025 PA-28-180 partial power loss during climb-out). Anonymized and localized to KTPA.
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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