What happened
On September 30, 2024, at approximately 16:30 EDT, a Piper PA-32-300, registration N31407, was involved in an accident near Caro, Michigan. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a maintenance flight to verify recent engine work. The aircraft had recently undergone a two-year Inspect, Repair as Necessary (IRAN) event on its Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 engine, which included a crankcase repair, magneto overhauls, and two replacements of the fuel injection servo.
The pilot reported that the takeoff and climb were normal. While flying the downwind leg of the traffic pattern for Runway 6, the pilot observed the fuel flow indicator drop from 18 to 14 gallons-per-hour. No other engine abnormalities were noted until the pilot attempted to increase power during a two-mile final approach. At that time, the engine failed to respond to throttle movements, resulting in a complete loss of engine power.
Realizing the aircraft would not reach the runway, the pilot performed a forced off-field landing. To clear a tree line at the approach end of Runway 6, the pilot descended to gain airspeed and maintained the aircraft at the stall horn. The aircraft struck the ground with significant force, bounced, and the left main landing gear separated. After a second impact a few hundred feet later, the aircraft slid into a ditch. The pilot was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage to both wings and the right horizontal stabilizer.