The Piper PA 32-300 had been parked on the ramp at the airport in Ardmore, Okla., for two or three months waiting for completion of engine maintenance work. The evening before the accident, the pilot and the passenger, who held a mechanic certificate, were seen replacing the engine’s Nos. 4 and 6 cylinders.
On the day of the accident, after a test run-up, the engine cowling was installed, and the airplane departed.
Witnesses reported that the airplane used most of the 5,000-foot runway before lifting off and did not appear to be climbing normally when it disappeared out of sight.
The passenger reported that, about the time the airplane became airborne, he heard a “metallic pop.”
Unable to stop the airplane on the runway in the remaining distance, the pilot continued the takeoff.
The passenger added that the engine continued to run, but the airplane was not able to climb above a set of wires.
Examination of the accident site determined that the airplane’s landing gear struck a transmission power line, and the airplane hit terrain about 0.82 mile southeast of the airport, seriously injuring one and killing another person.
Although the engine continued to run after takeoff, it is likely that it was not generating full power, and the airplane was unable to climb sufficiently to clear power lines.
A post-crash fire consumed most of the airplane’s cabin, part of the wings, and portions of the engine.
Due to fire damage, only a limited examination of the airframe and engine could be done, but that did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because thermal damage to the engine prevented a complete examination.
NTSB Identification: CEN14FA434
This August 2014 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
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I was always taught to know where on the runway you need to make the Go/No-Go decision. Again, no disrespect meant, much easier said after the fact looking in hind sight. I don’t think about that spot on every takeoff any more, but I try to on any flights where I am loaded heavy or after maintenance.
The NTSB missed a significant contributing factor even after noting the flaps appeared to have been in the retracted position.
On a Six (at least the 300HP ones that I’ve flown), the book shows one notch of flaps (10 degrees) for climb all the way to 11,000 DA (as I recall, because I don’t have a Six manual any more). Without that 10 degrees of flaps, the take off roll will be long, and that plane will not climb well.
I owned a 1976 PA 32–300 as I remember it the owners manual states 10° of flaps for short field takeoff ,on a second note it should’ve took more than 1000 or 1200 feet to become airborne as he must’ve been under gross weight with only two aboard
Found a Piper P32A-300 book online and it was revised 19AUG84. On page 4-5, for take-off, flaps 10 degrees (does not specify short field or soft field).
Paragraph 4.2 Takeoff
Takeoffs are normally made with the flaps extended 10 degrees (first notch).
Then it goes on to discuss short field with & without obstacle, soft field with and without obstacle, all are 25 degrees of flaps.
On page 5-17 is a different chart than I had for climb. And it shows climb with 10 degrees and 3400 lbs using 89KIAS, 2000 MSL at 80F works out to be a bit over 900 FPM and extending that to 11,000 works out to be 300FPM.
Another post maintenance accident. SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) is a really big hazard for any flights following maintenance… especially invasive stuff like swapping cylinders. Very sad. Better to over run and rip off the gear (at a slow, low energy status) than hit ANYTHING with the high energy necessary for flight. Easy to say in retrospect, very tough to do in the cockpit. It’s not clear whether the aircraft was insured with hull coverage… In that case the plane would have belonged to the insurance company the instant it lost power with insufficient runway remaining.
Yep. Pull the mixture and hit the breaks.