What happened
On July 16, 2024, at approximately 17:47 CDT, a Piper PA-28-181, registration N1941V, was involved in an accident near Arcola, Texas. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for a personal flight. The pilot and passenger sustained 2 minor injuries, and there were 0 fatalities.
The flight was the first since the aircraft's annual inspection, and the airplane had been inactive for approximately three months. Following a normal preflight inspection and engine run-up, the aircraft took off as expected. However, at approximately 300 feet above ground level, the engine abruptly lost power. The pilot attempted to land on the remaining runway, but the aircraft touched down heavily and overran the runway, coming to rest at the departure end. The impact caused the left wing to partially separate from the fuselage at the root and damaged the engine cowling and the left side of the fuselage.
The investigation
An examination of the airframe revealed that the gascolator strainer bowl was partially separated from its housing. Investigators found that the inboard hook of the gascolator bail was engaged in the firewall bracket but did not extend into the upper portion of the housing. The retaining nut at the bottom of the bail was loose, with six threads visible on the shaft. Notably, no safety wire was present on either the bail or the retaining nut. A six-inch clear streak was also observed on the bottom of the fuselage running aft from the firewall below the gascolator assembly.
An examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would prevent the engine from producing rated power. The investigation also noted that the manufacturer's service letter No. 1141 recommends inspecting the gascolator assembly every 90 days or 50 hours of service and specifies the use of safety wire for the bail and the strainer bowl retaining nut. The mechanics involved acknowledged that safety wire had not been reinstalled on the gascolator following the annual inspection.