LEON, IA, USA
N8AG
PIPER PA-32-260
THE PILOT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 150 FEET AGL, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. UNABLE TO SUSTAIN FLIGHT, AN EMERGENCY LDG WAS ATTEMPTED WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND SERIOUS AND MINOR INJURIES TO THE OCCUPANTS. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ENGINE'S AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM WAS PLUGGED WITH A FIELD MOUSE NEST, CAUSING ALMOST COMPLETE RESTRICTION OF THE ENGINE'S AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM. THERE WAS NO WAY TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE RESTRICTION DURING THE PREFLIGHT DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE NEST. THE PLT SAID THE PRE-TAKEOFF RUNUP WAS SATISFACTORY, BUT HE THOUGHT THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ON THE ROUGH PRIVATE STRIP, THE NEST BECAME DISLODGED AND WAS DRAWN FARTHER UP THE INDUCTION SYSTEM AND CARBURETOR CAUSING THE LOSS OF POWER.
BLOCKAGE OF THE ENGINE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM BY A FIELD MOUSE NEST. THE NEST WAS POSITIONED SO THAT IT COULD NOT BE SEEN DURING THE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION. IT BECAME DISLODGED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL ON THE ROUGH RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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