Piper PA-28RT 201T Engine Failure and Runway Excursion at Montpellier (F-GRKB)

Flight and Accident Sequence On 21 September 2012 at 16:00 local time, a Piper PA-28RT 201T, registration F-GRKB, operated by a flight school, departed runway 12R at Montpellier Méditerranée for a local instrument flight rules (IFR) flight. The aircraft carried an instructor, a student pilot, and a passenger. Immediately after rotation, the Continental TSIO-360-FB engine experienced misfires for two to five seconds before stopping. The instructor regained control and landed on the runway. While attempting to exit via taxiway L1 at the left end of the runway, the aircraft skidded due to high speed and left the runway. It struck a sign located 61 m left of the runway centerline and 15 m beyond the runway 12R threshold, then came to rest. ## Damage and Maintenance History The accident damaged the left wing leading edge, the left fuel tank, and a propeller blade. The instructor, who was also the flight school manager, reported that the engine had regular starting difficulties. On 14 September 2012, during a flight to Avignon with another instructor, the engine suffered a total power loss at 3,000 ft and restarted about 20 seconds after the electric fuel pump was activated. A visual inspection at Avignon found no anomaly, and the aircraft was ferried back to Montpellier. The engine had been remanufactured by Continental in the United States in August 2012 and installed on F-GRKB on 31 August 2012. It had accumulated 39 flight hours before the accident. After the 14 September incident, the logbook recorded fuel system checks, visual inspection of lines, and engine tests, which found no malfunction. ## Investigation Findings Examination of the fuel system found rubber debris in the mechanical fuel pump. The debris reduced fuel flow, and the resulting drop in pump outlet pressure caused the engine stoppage. The reason for the debris could not be determined. Pre-accident maintenance actions did not detect the rubber debris. ## Meteorological Conditions At the time of the accident, the wind was from 130° at 12 kt, with few clouds at 2,300 ft, overcast at 5,600 ft, visibility over 10 km, temperature 21 °C, dew point 17 °C, and QNH 1019 hPa.