What happened
On December 28, 2019, a Piper PA-32RT-300 bearing registration N27GB was involved in an accident near Fletcher, North Carolina. The flight originated from Cobb County International Airport-McCollum Field in Atlanta, Georgia, with a destination of Asheville Regional Airport.
During the takeoff roll at Asheville, the pilot followed a Canadair Regional Jet and was advised by the tower to be wary of wake turbulence. To avoid the wake, the pilot rotated the aircraft early at 7CO knots. While climbing at the best angle of climb (Vx), the pilot noticed the aircraft felt sluggish. After checking that the throttle, propeller, and mixture controls were fully forward, the pilot observed the engine power decreasing and the oil pressure gauge entering the yellow arc.
Realizing the engine was failing, the pilot initiated a turn back toward the airport but elected to perform a forced landing in a nearby parking lot. The pilot maintained the landing gear in the up position and extended the flaps. During the landing sequence, the aircraft struck a chain link fence and an electrical distribution box. The right wing struck an object, and a post-crash fire consumed much of the aft fuselage and cabin. The pilot and four passengers were not injured.
The investigation
Mechanical examination of the engine revealed that the drivetrain could not be rotated by hand. Upon removing the six cylinders, investigators found discoloration on the connecting rod journals, which was consistent with a lack of lubrication. Additionally, the number four connecting rod had separated from the crankshaft.
An inspection of the accessories, accessory case, and oil sump revealed that two teeth from the oil pump's drive gear had fractured. These broken teeth were found within the oil sump. While the idler gear showed no visible damage, it was unable to rotate the oil pump drive gear due to the missing teeth. Laboratory analysis by the NTSB determined that the gear teeth fractured due to overstress during rotation, though the specific reason for the initial fracture could not be determined.