ALBANY, OH, USA
N40973
PIPER PA-28
DRG THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OF THE ENG OCCURRED & THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND. UNABLE TO RETURN TO THE ARPT, HE SELECTED THE ONLY AVAILABLE LANDING SITE, WHICH WAS ABOUT 300 FT LONG & 200 WIDE. THIS AREA WAS BORDERED BY TREES & 30 FT POWER LINES. JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN, THE RIGHT WING SEVERED LEAVES FROM A TREE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT SLID INTO ANOTHER TREE & A FENCE. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE WAS STUCK IN THE OPEN POSITION & ITS RESPECTIVE PUSH ROD WAS BENT.
SEIZURE OF THE #4 EXHAUST VALVE AND BENDING OF ITS RESPECTIVE PUSH ROD, WHICH RESULTED IN A SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: LACK OF A SUITABLE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA, TREES, AND THE FENCE.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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