Accident Details
On November 25, 2017, at about 1315 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-46-500TP, registration N863RB, sustained substantial damage after a loss of engine power during initial climb from St. Pete/Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Clearwater, Florida. The airplane was operated by a corporation as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight destined for Pensacola International Airport (PNS), Pensacola, Florida. The airline transport pilot sustained minor injuries.
According to the pilot, the preflight inspection and engine runup revealed no anomalies. The takeoff roll and lift off from runway 36 were normal. When he initiated landing gear retraction, engine torque decreased to 300–400 ft-lbs while rpm remained at 2,000. Torque then surged back toward full power, although the pilot could not recall the peak value. He initiated a 20° right turn to return to the runway, but the engine continued to surge. The pilot attempted to reach the runway instead of landing in the water; however, the left wing struck the ground, and the airplane came to rest near runway 18.
Pilot Information
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane, as well as a flight instructor certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on October 11, 2017. He reported 15,000 hours of total flight time, with 25 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. In the previous 90 days, he had accumulated 35 hours of flight time.
Aircraft and Engine Examination
Initial examination by an FAA inspector revealed that the left wing was impact separated, while the right wing remained attached to the fuselage. The fuselage was partially separated at the cabin section. The engine remained attached to the airframe, and the propeller remained attached to the engine.
The airplane was manufactured in 2005 and powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42A, 850-shaft-horsepower engine equipped with a Hartzell constant-speed propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on April 1, 2017, at a total time of 1,341.0 hours and 912 cycles.
Examination of the airframe revealed no blockages in the fuel system. Both electric fuel pumps were tested, and no anomalies were noted. Jet A fuel was found in the right wing during recovery; the left fuel tank was breached.
Propeller Examination
All four propeller blades were bent aft, opposite the direction of rotation, and twisted toward a low pitch blade angle. Two blades fractured approximately 8 inches outboard of the blade shank and separated during the impact sequence. Chordwise scratching and leading-edge gouging were noted. When disassembled, all blades were not in a feathered position, and the pitch change components were impact damaged. The beta ring was removed with no anomalies noted. No anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident.
Engine Component Examination
The engine was sent to the manufacturer for teardown. The first stage power turbine exhibited rotational scoring. The compressor turbine rotated with no binding or scraping; the disk and blade fir tree faces showed rotational scoring. Axial compressors rotated without anomaly. Turbine blades exhibited a small amount of rotational scoring. Two bleed valves were removed and could be actuated by hand; o-rings and gaskets showed no cracking. No anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.
The fuel pump, fuel control, fuel filter, torque controller, and propeller governor were tested at Pratt & Whitney Canada, and no anomalies were noted.
Data Recorder Analysis
The data acquisition unit (DAU) was removed from the airframe and sent to the NTSB Recorders Laboratory for data download. The DAU recorded engine condition trim monitoring data, exceedances, and fault data on two channels. No engine condition trend monitoring data or exceedances were recorded on the day of the accident. Two faults were recorded: "oil press AtoD reversion failure" and "Torque AtoD reversion failure"; however, these faults could not be correlated to the accident.