What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Short field takeoff, engine stopped, acft slid off rwy into pond. (.19) on August 17, 1999, at 1615 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N44547, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following an emergency landing after takeoff from runway 22 (2,225 feet by 100 feet, dry/turf) at the Harsens Island Airport, Harsens Island, Michigan. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 and was not on a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to the oakland/troy airport, troy Michigan. The aircraft reportedly experienced a loss of engine power immediately after takeoff. The pilot elected to land on the remaining runway. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway striking a levee and coming to rest in a pond. (-23) on August 17, 1999, at 1615 EDT the aircraft sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following an emergency landing after takeoff. The pilot reported a loss of engine power immediately after takeoff and elected to land on the remaining runway. The aircraft ran off the end of the runway striking a levee and a mower, coming to rest in a pond. Investigation found the starter bendix gear engaged with the engine causing a drag on the engine. The propeller had a large gouge (1/2 by 2 1/4 inch) perpendicular to the leading edge approximately 13 inches from the tip.
As the FAA filed it
SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF, ENGINE STOPPED, ACFT SLID OFF RWY INTO POND. (.19) ON AUGUST 17, 1999, AT 1615 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-28-180, N44547, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN FOLLOWING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 22 (2,225 FEET BY 100 FEET, DRY/TURF) AT THE HARSENS ISLAND AIRPORT, HARSENS ISLAND, MICHIGAN. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS EN ROUTE TO THE OAKLAND/TROY AIRPORT, TROY MICHIGAN. THE AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING A LEVEE AND COMING TO REST IN A POND. (-23) ON AUGUST 17, 1999, AT 1615 EDT THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN FOLLOWING AN EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT REPORTED A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF AND ELECTED TO LAND ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY STRIKING A LEVEE AND A MOWER, COMING TO REST IN A POND. INVESTIGATION FOUND THE STARTER BENDIX GEAR ENGAGED WITH THE ENGINE CAUSING A DRAG ON THE ENGINE. THE PROPELLER HAD A LARGE GOUGE (1/2 BY 2 1/4 INCH) PERPENDICULAR TO THE LEADING EDGE APPROXIMATELY 13 INCHES FROM THE TIP.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N44547 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.