Accident Details
On December 19, 2017, at about 1145 central standard time, a Piper PA-28-201T, registration N555WM, impacted terrain and obstacles during a forced landing after takeoff from the Roy Otten Memorial Airfield (3VS), near Versailles, Missouri. The pilot was not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was owned and operated by GPFO LLC under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a maintenance check flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was not operated on a flight plan.
The pilot reported that an overhauled engine had been installed, and this was the first flight after the engine change. During ground operations, no leaks were noted, and the engine operated normally. The pilot accomplished multiple ground runs, including a takeoff/abort run, and completed the before-takeoff checklist with all indications "in the green."
The pilot departed on runway 25, flew once around the airport traffic pattern, and accomplished a touch-and-go. During climbout at 400-500 ft above ground level, a witness on the ground heard a loud bang (the pilot did not hear it), and the engine lost total power. The pilot conducted a forced landing to a field about 3/4 mile from the airport. During the landing roll, the airplane's left wing struck a metal fence post, resulting in substantial damage.
Engine Examination
The pilot and the mechanic who performed the engine installation examined the engine at the accident site. They noticed a cap fitting missing from the inlet tee fitting on the throttle body/fuel metering unit. The cap fitting was found between the No. 3 and No. 5 cylinders. After reinstalling the cap fitting, the engine was restarted and ran normally. With assistance from local police, the pilot taxied the airplane back to the airport using local roads.
Maintenance Background
The mechanic who installed the overhauled engine stated that the cap fitting was in place when he received the engine from the repair station. He reported that he had not disturbed the cap fitting during installation or during any maintenance performed before the check flight. The mechanic further stated that although the engine manufacturer recommended adjusting the fuel injection system after an engine installation, the engine was operating normally and he did not perform the maintenance procedures contained in the Continental Motors Service Information Directive SID97-3G.
The repair station's quality control manager reported that the fuel system was removed from the engine and overhauled in the component shop. The fuel system, with the cap fitting installed, was tested before reinstallation on the engine. Upon completion of the fuel system overhaul and before the engine went to the test cell for final run testing, an inspector checked that all engine fittings were secure. During the engine test run, the tee fitting was not used to attach the gauge for fuel system checks. The quality control manager stated that the cap fitting had not leaked during runs in the test cell, and the engine met all performance objectives without further fuel system adjustments.