Panama City, FL, USA
N8891N
PIPER PA-28-140B
On April 18, 2022, about 1329 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140B, N8891N, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Panama City, Florida. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane had not flown “in years” and was stored outdoors at Sandy Creek Airport (75FL), Panama City, Florida. The pilot reported that the airplane had been started and taxied during that time and he had been briefed about the condition and history of the airplane by the owner and an airframe and powerplant mechanic who had completed an annual inspection on the airplane about 2 months prior to the accident. On the day of the accident, the pilot planned to take a short flight in the general vicinity of 75FL Prior to the flight, the pilot checked the fuel and oil quantity. No water or debris was observed in the fuel sampled from the drain ports and about 25 gallons of fuel was on board. Ground operations were unremarkable. The engine ran smooth, and all indications were within limits. Prior to takeoff, the pilot decided to perform the pre-takeoff checks twice, each followed by a high-speed taxi down the runway to rotation speed, and “The aircraft performed flawlessly.” The pilot then performed a final engine runup and magneto check, lined-up on the runway, advanced to full throttle, and began the takeoff roll. The airplane accelerated and became airborne as expected at 60-65 mph with only slight back pressure. The initial climb rate was 300-500 feet-per-minute and the airplane accelerated to 85 mph, best climb rate. The pilot continued to allow the airplane to accelerate towards 100 mph for en route climb and engine cooling, but as the airplane approached the departure end of the runway, the engine rpm suddenly decreased to about 2400 rpm, and airspeed began to decrease. The pilot ensured the mixture was full rich and the throttle was full in; however, the engine rpm subsequently continued to decrease as if he was slowly pulling the throttle to idle. The pilot attempted to perform a forced landing to road; however, the airplane was unable reach the road and struck trees before it impacted the ground. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector revealed that during the impact sequence, the right wing, and right horizontal stabilator had separated from the airplane. The engine revealed that water was present in the boost pump and carburetor float bowl. Corrosion was present in the engine driven fuel pump, and the carburetor inlet screen displayed several areas where contamination and debris were adhering to the screen. The wreckage was retained for further examination.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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