Accident Overview
On August 23, 2018, at 1254 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301 airplane, registration N2880W, experienced a partial loss of engine power after takeoff and conducted a forced landing to a field near Meadow Lake Airport (FLY), Falcon, Colorado. The private pilot and the passenger were not injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight was en route to Estherville Municipal Airport, Iowa, after having arrived from that airport earlier that day.
Preflight and Maintenance
During the preflight engine runup and magneto check, the pilot noted the engine was running rough. He taxied to a maintenance facility at FLY for troubleshooting. A mechanic checked the magnetos and disconnected a P-lead wire, providing the pilot with guidance on fuel mixture settings for high elevation airports. The pilot performed another runup, adjusted the mixture per the mechanic's instructions, and conducted a “mock” takeoff roll to verify engine power, which he reported as successful. He then returned to the mechanic for a final mixture adjustment to achieve 2,700 rpm. The pilot later stated that one month before the accident, he had experienced a magneto issue that was resolved by reconnecting a loose wire.
Accident Sequence
The pilot taxied to the runway, extended 10° of flaps, and began the takeoff roll, rotating at 76 knots. After climbing through 100 ft above ground level (agl), the engine lost power and could not maintain altitude. The stall warning horn sounded; the pilot lowered the nose to increase airspeed and made a forced landing straight ahead into a field, where the airplane stalled and impacted the ground.
The mechanic at FLY reported that the left magneto was inoperative and P-leads were wired incorrectly. He disconnected both P-leads to the dual magneto, after which the pilot started the engine and appeared to achieve full power. The mechanic observed a mock takeoff where the airplane climbed about 6 ft agl and landed. He instructed the pilot to extend flaps to 10° and set the mixture to achieve 2,700 rpm for takeoff. The mechanic witnessed the subsequent departure, noting the airplane climbed to at least 50 ft agl with a high pitch attitude. He later learned the airplane landed in a field. The left magneto was not repaired by the mechanic, nor was repair requested by the pilot.
Post-Accident Examination
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors examined the airplane after recovery. The recovery crew drained about 70 gallons of fuel, which tested negative for water contamination. The fuel system was free of contaminants. Both P-leads were disconnected from the dual magneto and hanging loose. The magneto was removed and tested; the right magneto produced a spark at each terminal when the drive shaft was manually actuated, but the left magneto did not spark and its contact points did not open. The bottom spark plugs for cylinders No. 2 and 6 were oil-soaked, and the No. 6 cylinder contained oil. A cold engine compression check showed the No. 2 cylinder was low, while others were within normal limits. Some spark plug electrodes were degraded and did not show signs of recent operation.
Based on temperature, dew point, barometric pressure, and field elevation, density altitude was calculated above 9,400 ft mean sea level.