History of Flight
On April 28, 2013, at approximately 1959 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA46-500TP, serial number 4697513, operated by the pilot/owner under 14 CFR Part 91, experienced a runway excursion at Bryce Canyon Airport, Bryce, Utah. The private pilot and five passengers were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The cross-country personal flight was departing with a planned destination of Heber City, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot reported departing Heber around 1600 for a local sightseeing flight. After about one hour, the plan changed to flying to Bryce for dinner. After dinner, the pilot checked the automated terminal information service, which showed winds to be insignificant. Observing the windsock, it was lying limp but pointing gently to the east, slightly favoring a takeoff to the north.
The pilot stated that the airplane normally began to lift off the runway at about 77 knots indicated airspeed, which occurred again. At 80 KIAS, he pulled back as usual. The airplane left the runway but would not climb more than about 10 to 20 feet. Initially considering landing again, the pilot began reducing power, then realized the airplane had drifted left off the runway. He then applied full power to attempt a climb out. The airplane was very nose-high and still drifting left. It cleared the taxiway, at which point the tail struck the ground. The tail continued to drag, then the fuselage struck the ground, and the airplane slid to a stop. An immediate engine fire occurred; the pilot ordered the passengers to exit, pulled the emergency fuel cutoff valve, and completed an emergency shutdown. The fire went out in seconds, and there were no injuries.
During an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot reported that the passengers were seated such that the heaviest passengers occupied the aft seats. The takeoff rotation occurred about 3,100 feet down the runway. The nose reached a higher pitch attitude than expected, and the tail felt heavy or "squishy." The pilot reduced the throttle to lower the nose, but a left yaw developed with the left wing down. Upon reapplying full throttle, the airplane rolled slightly left. At that point, the airplane was over the dirt area between the main runway and the adjacent taxiway. The pilot suspected that the main landing gear dragged at different points while the nose remained in a high pitch attitude.
Personnel Information
The 48-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He held a third-class medical certificate issued March 19, 2012, with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses. His reported total time was 417.0 hours in single-engine land airplanes, with 99.1 hours in the make and model.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Piper low-wing, single-engine turboprop, serial number 4697513. The Hobbs hour meter indicated total airframe and engine time of 66 hours. The engine was a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42, serial number RM0568.
Meteorological Information
An aviation routine weather report for Bryce Canyon Airport issued at 1953 MDT indicated wind from 300 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, sky clear, temperature 17°C, dew point -9°C, and altimeter 30.12 inches of mercury.
Additional Information
Weight and Balance
The pilot stated that weight and balance was computed electronically on the G1000 system at the beginning of the flight from Heber at 5,600 feet. For the return flight from Bryce (field elevation 8,000 feet), the pilot added 200 pounds of fuel. The airplane held 173 gallons of fuel; the tanks were half full before the additional fuel was added. At 6.7 pounds per gallon, total fuel was 780 pounds. Using occupant weights and seating arrangement, the computed total weight was 5,218 pounds.
Piper determined performance parameters for the reported weather conditions. The Pilot Operating Handbook listed normal rotation speed for the Meridian as 82 KIAS for a 0-degree flap configuration at maximum gross weight of 5,092 pounds, with liftoff speed of 85 KIAS. Normal takeoff ground roll was 3,150 feet, and 4,800 feet was required to clear a 50-foot obstacle.
Tests and Research
Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board, Federal Aviation Administration, Piper, and Pratt & Whitney Canada examined the wreckage on July 23, 2013, at Air Transport in Phoenix, Arizona. The examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airframe or engine. All four propeller blades were secure in the hub, showing leading edge polishing and chordwise surface scratches, with S-bending along the full span.