Accident Overview
On August 19, 2020, at approximately 1215 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, registration N4089R, was substantially damaged during an accident at Tallahassee International Airport (TLH), Tallahassee, Florida. The pilot reported minor injuries, and the two passengers were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Report
According to the pilot, a preflight inspection revealed no anomalies, and the airplane was loaded for the flight. The pilot knew there was about 60 gallons of fuel on board, as he had flown a trip the previous week and used fuel from the left main tank. For the accident flight, he selected the right main fuel tank. The engine started and ran without issue until the run-up, when it "backfired." The pilot continued the run-up, checking magnetos and allowing the engine to run, with no further issues noted.
After taxiing onto the runway, the pilot slowly increased engine power. Following rotation, he noticed the tachometer did not indicate full engine rpm and that the engine was not producing power. With airspeed slow and near stall speed, the pilot attempted to descend to increase airspeed, but the airplane was already stalling. It "pancaked" onto the runway and veered off the right side, striking the visual approach lighting system with the right wing. The right wing sustained substantial damage.
A weight and balance calculation provided by the pilot after the accident indicated the airplane was within load limits for the flight.
Engine Examination
An NTSB investigator examined the engine after the accident. The top spark plugs were removed, and no anomalies were observed with their electrodes. Hand rotation of the crankshaft confirmed valvetrain continuity to the rear accessory section, and thumb compression was confirmed on all cylinders. The number 3 cylinder fuel injector was examined and found free of debris or deposits. Fuel was plumbed from an external tank into the engine, which started immediately, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously without interruption.
Data Monitor Review
The airplane was equipped with a JPI EDM-700 engine data monitor. Data from the unit showed that recording for the accident flight began around 1207. Exhaust gas temperatures (EGT) for all six cylinders followed rough relative patterns until about 1214:30, when the number 3 cylinder EGT began intermittently rapidly increasing and decreasing until just before 1217. Cylinder head temperatures (CHT) for all cylinders rose gradually until about 1217, when the number 3 CHT began a steady decrease while the remaining five cylinders continued their gradual increase. Around 1218, engine rpm increased gradually over about 30 seconds to about 2,300, then reached a maximum of about 2,400 rpm shortly after 1219. The rpm then rapidly decreased around 1930. Review of three previous flights showed maximum engine rpm of about 2,700, compared to the 2,400 achieved during the accident flight.