History of Flight
On July 20, 2012, about 1215 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32S-300, registration N5212S, veered off the runway during an aborted takeoff from Adelanto Airport (52CL), Adelanto, California. The private pilot/owner and two passengers were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, departing Adelanto about 1215 with a planned destination of Hesperia Airport (L26), Hesperia, California, to pick up a passenger before continuing to Idaho. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed.
The airplane had been serviced to capacity with fuel earlier that day in Bakersfield. The rear two seats were removed to accommodate baggage. The pilot sat in the front left seat; passengers occupied the front right and middle right seats.
The pilot reported an uneventful preflight and engine run-up, but noted that when he turned on the electrical fuel pump, it did not make the usual sound and the fuel pressure reading was slightly lower than normal, though still within limits. He elected to continue.
The takeoff roll on the dirt airstrip was uneventful. Shortly after rotation, the engine emitted an unusual sound and the airplane did not climb as expected. The pilot checked the tachometer (2,400 rpm) and manifold pressure (20 inches of mercury). With about half the runway (approximately 2,000 feet) remaining, he aborted the takeoff. The airplane touched down, bounced, and departed the runway to the left, dropping into a ditch and striking a pole. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the left wing and firewall sustained structural damage.
Examination Findings
The airplane was examined by the NTSB investigator-in-charge and a Piper representative. The right tip tank was about half full; all other tanks were full. The fuel pump circuit breaker was closed. Fuel lines had no leaks or loose fittings. When turned on, the electrically driven fuel pump initially made a metallic grinding sound, consistent with being void of fuel, then quieted after about 5 seconds as it primed. Disassembly showed the commutator, brushes, shear coupling, armature, rotor, and vanes intact. The Piper representative noted the electrical pump is a backup to the engine-driven pump.
The engine sustained minimal damage. All controls were continuous and moved smoothly. The oil sump contained about 12 quarts. Spark plugs showed normal wear; exhaust pipes had light grey deposits. The crankshaft turned freely; compression was noted on all cylinders. Sparks were observed at each top spark plug lead. Borescope inspection showed no anomalies. No precluding anomalies were found with the airframe or engine.
A fuel drain lever, located in the footwell at the base of the right middle seat, was connected to a combination fuel selector valve/drain in the belly. An expanding streak of skin discoloration ran the length of the belly from the drain output port, partially removing dirt. The pilot stated he had cleaned the underside a few days prior and did not observe the streak. No active fuel leak was noted at examination; fuel flowed when the drain lever was activated.
Federal Aviation Administration Airworthiness Directive 78-23-01 requires a fuel drain cover door to prevent inadvertent actuation. The door was installed but had become detached from its hinge, exposing the lever. A test showed that an occupant in the middle right seat could operate the lever with the heel of a shoe, causing fuel to flow. The pilot stated the door had been damaged by a passenger egressing about three flights prior and had not been repaired.
Airport and Weather
Adelanto Airport has two intersecting runways at an elevation of 3,075 feet msl. The pilot used the southern dirt runway, 3,930 feet long. The closest weather observation was at Southern California Logistics Airport, Victorville, 6 miles northeast, elevation 2,885 feet msl. A METAR at 1215 reported wind from 110 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, temperature 33°C, dew point 08°C, altimeter 30.06 inches of mercury. Calculated density altitude at Victorville was about 5,525 feet.