Accident Overview
On June 6, 2012, about 1015 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22-135, N3431A, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground and nosed over after failing to climb following takeoff from an unimproved field near Bangor, Michigan. The private pilot, who was also the aircraft owner and operator, received serious injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The intended destination was South Haven Area Regional Airport (LWA) in South Haven, Michigan.
Previous Forced Landing
The day before the accident, on June 5, 2012, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power while flying to LWA and executed a forced landing into a field. The airplane was not damaged during that off-airport landing.
Pre-Accident Actions and Witness Account
On the morning of the accident, the pilot attempted to take off from the same field to continue to LWA. According to the pilot, after takeoff the engine stopped producing power, and he attempted to return to the field. The airplane was in a left turn when it struck the ground. The pilot reported adding fuel to the right fuel tank and performing fuel flow tests on the ground prior to the accident. He noted that fuel flow from the left tank was inadequate, but flow from the right tank was sufficient. He stated that he ran the engine for about 20 minutes on the right tank at high power settings before attempting the flight.
A local mechanic who witnessed the accident reported that the owner enlisted his help to rectify a fuel flow issue. On the morning of the accident, they added 10 gallons of fuel to the right fuel tank. They removed the gascolator bowl and timed the fuel flow: the left tank took 7 minutes to flow one gallon, and the right tank took 6 minutes to flow one gallon. They then performed a run-up to full power on both fuel tanks. The mechanic stated that the pilot then attempted takeoff; the airplane was slow to clear the ground and gain altitude. It then turned left and descended, after which the mechanic's view was obstructed by terrain.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination after the June 5 forced landing confirmed that the airplane was not damaged. The gascolator screen was found to be almost completely plugged by a flaky shellac-type material. The owner reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that the airplane had a long history of auto fuel use and that he had been finding shellac-type material in the fuel sumps. The inspector and owner discussed that the owner would arrange for a local mechanic to perform a thorough fuel system evaluation and flushing before further flight. The inspector reminded the pilot to check and clean screens in the fuel tanks, carburetor, and belly sump.
A second examination after the June 6 accident revealed that the gascolator and carburetor inlet screens were about 50 percent restricted. Neither the pilot nor the mechanics reported having performed a flushing of the fuel system or checking/cleaning of the fuel tank screens, carburetor, or gascolator.