What happened
On May 22, 2017, a PIPER PA28RT 201T, registration OY-BRC, was engaged in a local pleasure flight departing from Billund Airport (EKBI) under visual flight rules. Prior to departure, the pilot performed both a static engine test and a secondary engine check while positioned on taxiway C, with no issues noted during either procedure.
Shortly after takeoff from runway 27, at an altitude of approximately 50 feet, the aircraft suffered a sudden loss of engine power. The pilot immediately scanned the engine instruments but could not identify an immediate cause for the performance drop. In an attempt to manage the situation, the pilot lowered the nose and performed an emergency landing on the remaining portion of runway 27. However, the aircraft could not be stopped within the runway limits, overrunning the end of the runway and colliding with a localizer antenna and runway approach lights for runway 09.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical integrity of the engine's fuel system. While initial field inspections of the fuel filter and electric pump showed no abnormalities, a detailed examination of the fuel delivery system revealed that the mechanical fuel pump failed to provide the required fuel volume and pressure when the engine was operating at maximum power.
To confirm this, the pump was replaced with an identical unit from another engine, which restored proper fuel flow and pressure. The original pump was subsequently sent to an independent maintenance facility for teardown. The laboratory analysis confirmed that contamination within the mechanical fuel pump was present. The facility found that while the pump functioned correctly at low RPM, it experienced a drop in pressure and flow during extended runs at takeoff power due to this internal debris.