TECUMSEH, MI, USA
N289JG
Piper PA-32R-301T
The airplane overran the runway and collided with soft terrain during an aborted takeoff. The pilot reported the preflight, engine start, and engine run-up were normal. He reported, "At 85 knts, I pulled back on the yoke. It moved only slightly, but the plane would not rotate. I pulled again hard, but still no movement. I then cut the throttle and applied full brakes." The airplane traveled off the end of the runway, across a road, and into a plowed field where the nose gear collapsed and both main gears were separated from the airplane. Inspection of the airplane failed to reveal any failure/malfunction with the flight control systems. Inspection of the engine revealed the three screws that hold the magneto harness cover on the right magneto were missing and the harness was backed away from the magneto. In addition, the turbine in the turbocharger was dragging when he attempted to spin it by hand. Teardown of the turbocharger revealed a build-up of carbon in the heat shield.
On October 14, 2000, at 2130 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N289JG, operated by a private pilot overran the runway and collided with terrain during an aborted takeoff at the Meyers-Diver's Airport, Tecumseh, Michigan. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. The flight was originating at the time of the accident with an intended destination of Muncie, Indiana. The pilot reported that the aircraft preflight and engine start were normal. He taxied the airplane to the approach end of runway 18 (2,660 feet by 75 feet, dry asphalt) where he performed an engine run-up, which was also normal. The pilot reported he set 10 degrees of flaps and applied full power while holding the brakes. He reported that "all gages were in the green" so he released the brakes for takeoff. The pilot reported, "At 85 knts, I pulled back on the yoke. It moved only slightly, but the plane would not rotate. I pulled again hard, but still no movement. I then cut the throttle and applied full brakes." The airplane traveled off the end of the runway, across a road, and into a plowed field. The nose gear collapsed and both main gear were separated from the airplane when it contacted the soft dirt. The airplane slid to a stop at which time the pilot and passenger exited the airplane. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration Detroit, Michigan, Flight Standards District Office inspected the airplane after the accident. The inspector checked the flight controls and reported that he did not find any failure/malfunction. He reported he inspected the engine and found the three screws that hold the magneto harness cover on the right magneto were missing. He reported that the harness was backed away from the magneto. In addition, he reported that the turbine in the turbocharger was dragging when he attempted to spin it by hand. The turbocharger was removed and was sent to Consolidated Fuel Systems for a teardown inspection. The inspection revealed, "The turbocharger made a whirring noise when turned by hand prior to disassembly. We found a build-up of carbon in the heat shield of this unit, but other than that, the unit did not have any problems. The CHRA was tested on the Hoffman balance tester to new balance specifications. The unit was found to be fully serviceable."
The pilot was unable to rotate the aircraft during takeoff for undetermined reasons. A factor associated with the accident was the soft terrain, which the airplane encountered during the aborted takeoff.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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