What happened
The pilot reported that the manifold pressure on the right engine dropped to 22 inches just after the aircraft lifted off the ground. In response to this mechanical anomaly, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff and attempted to return the aircraft to the runway surface. However, the aircraft was unable to stop in time and ran off the end of the runway. It crossed a road before impacting a ditch, which caused the landing gear to shear off.
The investigation
Following the accident, the National Transportation Safety Board conducted a thorough post-accident inspection and performed functional testing on the right engine. The tests were designed to determine if there was any inherent mechanical defect that could have caused the manifold pressure loss during flight.
Findings
The examination revealed no defects in the right engine. When placed on a test stand, the engine operated normally, indicating that the component itself was functioning correctly at the time of the inspection. The primary outcome of the event was the physical damage sustained by the aircraft due to the runway excursion and subsequent impact with the ditch.
Safety message
This incident highlights the critical importance of managing aborted takeoffs when mechanical failures occur immediately after liftoff. Pilots must be prepared for scenarios where available runway length is insufficient to stop the aircraft safely after a failure, potentially leading to overruns and terrain impacts.