Accident Bellanca 7ECA N4214Y, Friday 25 June 1982

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Date:	Friday 25 June 1982
Time:	19:04 LT
Type:	Bellanca 7ECA
Owner/operator:	Ft. Meade Flying Club
Registration:	N4214Y
MSN:	1199-77
Year of manufacture:	1977
Total airframe hrs:	1094 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-235-C1
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Ft. Meade, MD - United States of America
Phase:	Take off
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Ft. Meade, MD (KFME)
Destination airport:	Ft. Meade, MD (KFME)
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT OPERATED DURING AN ENGINE RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF, AND THAT HE USED THE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING EACH LANDING. DURING A TOUCH-AND-GO, HE LIFTED OFF AT 65 KTS, BUT THE PLANE SETTLED AND WOULD NOT CLIMB OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND THE PLANE CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE PLANE TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS. DURING THE GROUND LOOP, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR ATTACHMENT U-BOLT FAILED AT AN OLD CRACK. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL CLAMP WAS LOOSE AND ALLOWED THE CARBURETOR HEAT TO REMAIN "OFF." THE CABLE HAD BEEN RE-RIGGED ABOUT 71 TACH HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ALSO, THE AIR INTAKE BOOT WAS IMPROPERLY POSITIONED AND ALLOWED UNFILTERED AIR TO ENTER THE CARBURETOR. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 81 AND 65 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, A SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING HAZARD WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT LOW POWER SETTINGS.

Probable Cause:

Accident investigation: