What happened
On October 2, 2020, at approximately 15:12 CDT, a Piper PA-46-500TP, registration N62ZM, was involved in an aviation accident near Lake Elmo, Minnesota. The aircraft was being operated under Part 91 regulations for personal use. The sequence of events began during the initial climb phase after departing from runway 32 at the Lake Elmo airport (21D).
Immediately following the retraction of the landing gear, the pilot observed an irregularity in the engine's power output. In response to this fluctuation, the pilot initiated a turn to return to the airport. During this maneuver, the aircraft suffered a complete loss of engine power. The pilot was forced to perform an emergency landing into a nearby field of standing corn.
The aircraft struck the terrain approximately half a mile northwest of the end of runway 32. Upon impact, the plane bounced before coming to an upright position in the field. The accident resulted in substantial damage to the right wing of the aircraft, which was further aggravated by a fire following the crash. The pilot sustained serious injuries during the event.
Findings
- The aircraft was powered by a Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprop engine.
- Total loss of engine power occurred during the turnback maneuver following a power fluctuation.