Power Loss on the Climb-Out
Partial engine failure in a Piper Cherokee 180 — carburetor ice, fuel starvation, or maintenance? The decision window is short, and the off-field environment matters.
The scenario
Departing Tampa Executive Airport (KVDF), Tampa, FL — Runway 05, climbing out on a 042° heading. Elevation 22 ft MSL; the runway is essentially at sea level.
It is a warm, humid Florida afternoon in late spring: OAT 29°C, dew point 23°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 450 ft AGL, climbing through 74 KIAS (Vy), heading 042°, when the engine begins to run rough and lose power. The tachometer is unwinding. The off-field environment ahead is mixed: wooded wetland, medium development, and pasture. KVDF is non-towered (CTAF); you are in Class G airspace with overlying Class B at 3,000 MSL.
Aircraft: Piper Cherokee 180, solo, full fuel (both tanks), within limits. Carbureted Lycoming O-360-A, 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 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. You selected the LEFT tank for takeoff and did not plan to switch tanks until cruise.
- {'label': 'Field', 'value': 'KVDF · Tampa Executive'}
- {'label': 'Runways', 'value': '5/23 · 18/36'}
- {'label': 'Elevation', 'value': '22 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 engine failure in the PA-28-180? (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 did not apply carb heat because the engine ran smoothly during the run-up — a false confidence that cost him.
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 carburetor icing in conditions conducive to serious icing, with contributing factors including unsuitable terrain and the tree obstacle. The pilot had not applied carb heat proactively.
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. Night conditions contributed to the difficulty of the forced landing. This case shows that not all engine failures are carburetor ice — maintenance issues can also cause partial power loss.
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 event occurred at another airport — not KVDF — but the symptom pattern (partial power loss on climb, forced landing in terrain) is the same.
The local environment at KVDF makes this scenario consequential: Runway 05's departure end is mixed terrain — wooded wetland, medium development, and pasture. An engine failure on the Runway 05 departure at low altitude is a forced landing in that terrain, not a ditching. There is no open water off Runway 05; the off-field environment is good for a forced landing if you act decisively. Runway 36's departure end, by contrast, is open water — a ditching environment. This is the NLCD ground cover off those runway ends.
The real accidents cited above occurred at other airports and in other aircraft — NOT at Tampa Executive Airport. KVDF has its own accident history (see field dominant patterns: LOSS_OF_CONTROL_GROUND 18.4%, HARD_LANDING 18.4%, FORCED_LANDING 15.8%), but these specific NTSB events happened elsewhere. The scenario is localized to KVDF 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. Additionally, the PA-28-180's LEFT / RIGHT fuel selector (no BOTH position) means the pilot must actively switch tanks; running a selected tank dry is a starvation trap. Preflight fuel management and in-flight tank switching are non-negotiable.
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 on the climb-out, the decision window is measured in seconds — not minutes. Off Runway 05 at KVDF, the off-field environment is mixed terrain (wooded wetland, development, pasture) — a forced landing is possible if you act decisively. Off Runway 36, the environment is open water — a ditching. Know your runway and your off-field options before you line up.
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 KVDF. 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 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.
The PA-28-180 has LEFT / RIGHT fuel selector with NO BOTH position — active tank switching is mandatory.
Unlike Cessnas with a BOTH position, the PA-28-180 requires the pilot to 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: verify both tanks are full and the fuel selector is on the fuller tank. In flight: switch tanks at regular intervals (typically every 30 minutes) and monitor fuel quantity. A fuel-starvation event looks like a rough engine and power loss — similar to carburetor ice — but the remedy is different: switch tanks and verify fuel flow. If you are unsure whether the problem is carb ice or fuel starvation, apply carb heat first (it is harmless if the problem is fuel), then switch tanks if carb heat does not help.
Off Runway 05 at KVDF, the off-field environment is mixed terrain — good for a forced landing if you act decisively.
The off-field environment off Runway 05's departure end (heading 042°) is mixed: wooded wetland, medium development, and pasture. If the engine fails on the Runway 05 departure at low altitude and you cannot return to the airport, a forced landing in the pasture or open field is the correct outcome. Best glide is 65 KIAS. Fuel selector on the tank with fuel, mixture rich, master off before impact, flaps for slowest possible touchdown speed. Survival rates in controlled forced landings are significantly better than in uncontrolled ones. By contrast, Runway 36's departure end is open water — a ditching environment. Know your runway before you line up.
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 29°C and dew point near 23°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 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 ice on takeoff climb), NYC03LA096 (2003 PA-28-180 loose fuel line on climb), and ANC25LA094 (2025 PA-28-180 engine malfunction on climb-out). Anonymized and localized to KVDF (Tampa Executive Airport).
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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