On June 6, 1984, a Piper PA-30 (registration N8205Y) operated by Thorvald W. Christiansen was involved in an aviation accident near Berrien Springs, MI. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
The aircraft crashed shortly after takeoff following a drop in right engine RPM. The pilot continued the takeoff despite slow acceleration and did not attain Vmca. The stall warning horn activated during the final 900 feet of flight.
Flight Sequence
The accident occurred shortly after takeoff near the end of the runway. The pilot noticed that the aircraft acceleration was "a bit slow" on the runway. Approximately halfway down the 3,100-foot runway, a noticeable drop in RPM occurred on the right engine. The pilot decided to continue the takeoff attempt rather than abort.
After the aircraft became airborne, a turn to the right began despite the pilot's attempts to fly straight ahead. The aircraft did not attain Vmca (80 knots). It impacted the ground at a shallow angle and slid 400 feet to a stop.
Post-Impact
The stall warning horn was activated for the last 900 feet of the flight. No reason for the loss of RPM was found, except possibly the spark plugs, which showed signs of sooting.