What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 22, 2021, about 09:55 local pacific day light time. A Piper cherokee PA-28-140 serial number 28-7125361 N532FL, which was certificated under the provisions of car 3 effective may 15, 1956, and 14 CFR section 21.183 normal utility aircraft the aircraft departed Benson Municipal Airport runway 10, Benson Arizona (E95) with the intent to stay in the pattern for close traffic at the same airport the pilot departed from.
Pilot reported listening to AWOS and the winds being 006. Taxied to runway and leaned the airplane out for flight duing taxi once in the runup area the pilot stated she began her checklist with the throttle advanced to 1800 RPM left mag drop 100 right mag drop 100 rest of the checklist items reported as normal. The pilot stated she pushed the throttle to full and watched her speed indicator. She noted the airplane was slower than normal and took maybe 4 or 5 seconds longer to reach takeoff speed of 65 mph (rotation speed) than usual. The plan got airborne about a few hundred feet past the 1000 ft marker but not yet halfway down the runway. The pilot noted this and determined it was due to the extra fuel onboard (fuel level to the tabs almost full) and being heavier. Once airborne the pilot noted the airplane was struggling to maintain air speed and was not climbing at its usal climb rate. Pilot stated at this point she droped the nose to pick up airspeed and push the mixture to full rich just as she was about to cross the numbers for runway 28. The airplane picked up airspeed to 80 mph, then 83 but was not at the climb rate she wanted it which would be 85MPH. She dropped the nose and was able to maintain 80 mph but is still not climbing. The altimete reading was 4300 MSL or 500FT AGL. She stated it was at this point she initiated a left turn to get on the left down wind to try to land back on runway 10. The airspeed dropped from 80 to 75, from 75 to 70 then from 70 to 65. The airspeed dropped to 50 mph the pilot lowered the nose and began to hit the brush and flared to and landed in the desert brush approximately 1 mile northeast of the airport
The FAA conducted a detailed examination of the engine with the following findings: was unable to achive more than 2000 rpms during ground run and had excessive vibration. Performed mag drop check at 1800 rpms with satisfactory results lean to peek max RPM 2100.
Performed compression check of all cyclinders. #3 cylinder failing check with 0/80 zero compression. Upon removal of #3 cylinder found exhaust valve dislodged.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 22, 2021, ABOUT 09:55 LOCAL PACIFIC DAY LIGHT TIME. A PIPER CHEROKEE PA-28-140 SERIAL NUMBER 28-7125361 N532FL, WHICH WAS CERTIFICATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF CAR 3 EFFECTIVE MAY 15, 1956, AND 14 CFR SECTION 21.183 NORMAL UTILITY AIRCRAFT THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BENSON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT RUNWAY 10, BENSON ARIZONA (E95) WITH THE INTENT TO STAY IN THE PATTERN FOR CLOSE TRAFFIC AT THE SAME AIRPORT THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM.
PILOT REPORTED LISTENING TO AWOS AND THE WINDS BEING 006. TAXIED TO RUNWAY AND LEANED THE AIRPLANE OUT FOR FLIGHT DUING TAXI ONCE IN THE RUNUP AREA THE PILOT STATED SHE BEGAN HER CHECKLIST WITH THE THROTTLE ADVANCED TO 1800 RPM LEFT MAG DROP 100 RIGHT MAG DROP 100 REST OF THE CHECKLIST ITEMS REPORTED AS NORMAL.THE PILOT STATED SHE PUSHED THE THROTTLE TO FULL AND WATCHED HER SPEED INDICATOR. SHE NOTED THE AIRPLANE WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL AND TOOK MAYBE 4 OR 5 SECONDS LONGER TO REACH TAKEOFF SPEED OF 65 MPH (ROTATION SPEED) THAN USUAL. THE PLAN GOT AIRBORNE ABOUT A FEW HUNDRED FEET PAST THE 1000 FT MARKER BUT NOT YET HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT NOTED THIS AND DETERMINED IT WAS DUE TO THE EXTRA FUEL ONBOARD (FUEL LEVEL TO THE TABS ALMOST FULL) AND BEING HEAVIER. ONCE AIRBORNE THE PILOT NOTED THE AIRPLANE WAS STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN AIR SPEED AND WAS NOT CLIMBING AT ITS USAL CLIMB RATE. PILOT STATED AT THIS POINT SHE DROPED THE NOSE TO PICK UP AIRSPEED AND PUSH THE MIXTURE TO FULL RICH JUST AS SHE WAS ABOUT TO CROSS THE NUMBERS FOR RUNWAY 28. THE AIRPLANE PICKED UP AIRSPEED TO 80 MPH, THEN 83 BUT WAS NOT AT THE CLIMB RATE SHE WANTED IT WHICH WOULD BE 85MPH. SHE DROPPED THE NOSE AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN 80 MPH BUT IS STILL NOT CLIMBING. THE ALTIMETE READING WAS 4300 MSL OR 500FT AGL. SHE STATED IT WAS AT THIS POINT SHE INITIATED A LEFT TURN TO GET ON THE LEFT DOWN WIND TO TRY TO LAND BACK ON RUNWAY 10. THE AIRSPEED DROPPED FROM 80 TO 75, FROM 75 TO 70 THEN FROM 70 TO 65. THE AIRSPEED DROPPED TO 50 MPH THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE AND BEGAN TO HIT THE BRUSH AND FLARED TO AND LANDED IN THE DESERT BRUSH APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT
THE FAA CONDUCTED A DETAILED EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE WITH THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS: WAS UNABLE TO ACHIVE MORE THAN 2000 RPMS DURING GROUND RUN AND HAD EXCESSIVE VIBRATION. PERFORMED MAG DROP CHECK AT 1800 RPMS WITH SATISFACTORY RESULTS LEAN TO PEEK MAX RPM 2100.
PERFORMED COMPRESSION CHECK OF ALL CYCLINDERS. #3 CYLINDER FAILING CHECK WITH 0/80 ZERO COMPRESSION. UPON REMOVAL OF #3 CYLINDER FOUND EXHAUST VALVE DISLODGED.
Other reports on N532FL · 1
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