Casualties unknown

2003-07-06: Piper PA-46-310P (N4386G) — Englewood, CO

Englewood, CO, US

On July 6, 2003, a Piper PA-46-310P (registration N4386G) was involved in an aviation accident near Englewood, CO. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's improper flare which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing factors were the out-of-calibration waste gate actuator, a blown tire, and the airport sign. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 1781061362Data APIEditorial standards

Pilot aborts takeoff after lift-off due to poor airplane performance, leading to a hard landing, left main tire blowout, and runway departure striking a taxiway sign. Engine later found to produce 95-97% power with low manifold pressure.

Event Description

The pilot received clearance for takeoff and was instructed to maintain runway heading. After lifting off, the pilot decided to abort the takeoff, citing "poor airplane performance." During the subsequent landing, the aircraft touched down with excessive force, causing the left main tire to blow out. The airplane then veered off the left side of the runway and collided with a taxiway sign.

Post-Incident Investigation

Following the incident, the engine was subjected to a functional test. The test revealed that the manifold pressure was "3 [inches] low at full takeoff power," and the engine was producing "approximately 95-97 [per cent] full power at the takeoff setting." An adjustment was made to the wastegate actuator, which corrected the manifold pressure to the appropriate setting.

Findings

The investigation determined that the engine was not producing full takeoff power due to low manifold pressure, which was subsequently corrected by adjusting the wastegate actuator. No other anomalies were reported.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20030708X01040. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.