Accident Overview
On September 30, 2024, at approximately 1630 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, registration N31407, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caro, Michigan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a maintenance flight.
Pre-Accident Events
According to the pilot, the airplane had recently completed a two-year maintenance event involving an Inspect, Repair as Necessary (IRAN) of the Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 reciprocating engine. During the IRAN, the engine crankcase was repaired due to a bearing failure, the magnetos were overhauled, and the fuel injection servo was replaced twice.
On the day of the accident, the pilot's mechanic indicated that about five hours of flight time were needed so that the mechanic could inspect and address any maintenance issues. The pilot reported that the takeoff and climb into the downwind leg were normal, and he planned to fly a traffic pattern back to Runway 6.
Loss of Engine Power
While on the downwind leg, before reducing engine power to near idle and starting a descent, the pilot noticed that the fuel flow indicator reading had dropped from 18 to 14 gallons per hour. No further abnormal engine indications were observed until the pilot attempted to increase engine power while on an extended two-mile final approach to Runway 6. The engine did not respond to throttle control inputs, and the airplane subsequently experienced a complete loss of engine power.
Forced Landing and Damage
Realizing that he would not reach the runway due to the distance, the pilot performed a forced off-field landing. During the landing, the pilot dove the airplane to gain airspeed to clear a tree line on the approach end of Runway 6. The pilot stated that he held the airplane at the stall horn to clear the trees and then hit the ground hard. The airplane bounced, the left main landing gear separated, and the airplane impacted the ground a second time a few hundred feet later. The airplane slid and came to rest in a ditch abeam the runway.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and both wings. The wreckage was retained for further examination.