Accident Overview
On August 2, 2012, at approximately 1028 central daylight time, a Beech E-55, registration N3644A, sustained substantial damage when it struck a road embankment following an aborted takeoff. The incident occurred at West Houston Airport in Houston, Texas. The pilot and his passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Flight Details
The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that during the initial portion of the takeoff, the engines accelerated smoothly and all systems and gauges indicated normal operation. As the airplane accelerated, the pilot noticed roughness in performance and verified that the throttle, mixture, and propeller controls for both engines were forward. Due to the roughness and a perceived loss of engine power on one engine, the pilot aborted the takeoff. There was insufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane; it went off the end of the runway and struck an embankment that bordered the airport perimeter road.
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination of the airplane's left engine revealed damage to two of the six spark plug leads. The engine was mounted on a test stand, and during a subsequent test run, it exhibited rough operation. The damaged ignition harness was replaced with the harness from the right engine, and the test run was repeated. During the second test run, the engine started immediately and ran through various power settings with no hesitations, stumbling, or interruptions in power. The reason for the damage to the ignition harness could not be determined.
Maintenance History
The most recent annual inspection of the airplane was completed on July 16, 2012.