A Colorado flight instructor failed to use carburetor heat, causing icing and power loss, forcing a crash landing on a highway on June 16, 2024.

On June 16, 2024, a Tecnam P2006T aircraft sustained substantial damage during a forced landing on a Colorado highway after losing partial power in its left engine. The flight, involving a pilot and flight instructor during multi-engine training, had intentionally shut down and restarted the left engine. During descent, increased right rudder demand and declining engine metrics were noted, but carburetor heat was not used, with levers remaining off. The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause was the instructor’s failure to apply carburetor heat, leading to icing and power loss under conditions conducive to icing at glide power. The aircraft, unable to reach the runway, landed on a highway, struck a road sign, veered into a marshy area, and was substantially damaged. No preimpact mechanical issues were found.