CHI06FA067

The pilot reported that the engine surged and lost power during the initial climb after takeoff. In an interview, he stated that he had previously turned the auxiliary electric fuel boost pump off, but when the engine surged and lost power, he switched fuel tanks, and turned the auxiliary boost pump on. He was unable to restart the engine, and the airplane collided with a ravine during the ensuing forced landing. An examination of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical anomalies. The airplane's engine was run in an engine test cell and developed full rated rpm. An on-scene examination of the cockpit fuel selector found that it was positioned between the left and right fuel tanks.

History of flight

On January 14, 2006, about 1225 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-300, N8745E, operated by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with a ravine during a forced landing following an in-flight loss of engine power during takeoff from runway 13 at the Pierre Regional Airport (PIR), Pierre, South Dakota. The personal flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. One passenger was fatally injured. The pilot and four passengers were seriously injured and were hospitalized. The local flight was originating from PIR at the time of the accident.

Two witnesses were in an area south of the airport. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector interviewed the witnesses. The FAA interview with one witness, in part, stated:

He stated that he was goose hunting on his property that day. He

estimated that they were as much as a mile south of the airport. He

said this plane caught their attention, because the sound it made

caught their attention. I asked what sound? [The witness] stated the

aircraft was in the pattern and then it "backfired, sputtered and died."

I asked where the airplane was when he heard the noise? He stated

that as soon as he looked at it, it appeared to be 150 to 200 feet in

the air. It looked like it was just climbing out. I asked what

happened next? He stated that the aircraft turned to the left. It

looked like it was going back to the airport. ... [The witness] stated

that the best way he could describe the distance was that the aircraft

appeared to go about 200 yards past the last buildings on the south

side of the airport property and then it turned back.

The FAA interview with the other witness, in part, stated:

[The witness] said he was goose hunting with a group of folks on

that day and time of the accident. He stated that they were

approximately one half mile south of the airport property. He said

there were a few airplanes in the pattern that day. He said an aircraft

really caught their attention when it took off and then the engine

surged and popped and then quit. He said it ran for just a couple of

seconds after it surged and then it sounded just like it ran out of gas.

He said the aircraft was approximately 200 feet in the air when he

looked at it. He said the aircraft made a left turn and appeared to be

heading back to the airport. He said it was going down real fast, but

it looked like it was gliding O.K. He said they lost sight of the plane

and then saw a cloud of dust.

The FAA interview with a witness at the fixed base operator (FBO) at the airport, in part, stated:

He said that [the pilot] taxied back to use the full runway (RWY 13).

He stated that [the pilot] performed another run-up and then departed.

[The witness] stated the aircraft lifted off about 100 yards prior to the

FBO buildings across from the runway. [The witness] said he was

holding a hand held radio and was watching the take off from inside

the FBO building. He stated the aircraft climbed to 400 to 500 feet

[above ground level] agl, went slightly [past] the end of the runway,

and then made a turn to the left. He said he noticed the aircraft

leveled off slightly and then started to descend. [The witness] said,

"Hey Bud, what's going on?" The pilot replied, "I'm going down!"

[The witness] stated the aircraft was in a continuous descending turn

to the left. He said at approximately 75 feet above ground level, the

aircraft quit turning and glided in a wings level attitude until he lost

sight of the aircraft.

The pilot's accident report, in part, stated:

I performed a preflight inspection of the aircraft. The engine had

over 9 quarts of oil. I visually inspected the fuel tanks with the left

outboard fuel tank not showing any fuel, the left main tank fuel

level was between the tab and the filler neck, the right main tank

was full to the filler neck, and the right outboard tank had minimal

fuel. With the preflight inspection complete I loaded the passengers

for the first flight of the day. With passengers aboard I started the

engine and taxied to runway 13. I let the engine warm into the green

and completed the pre takeoff checklist with no noted problems. I then

departed on runway 13 south to the river, turned west and, flew up the

river following it to the north near the dam, and returned the airport.

The flight lasted approximately 10 to 15 minutes. I landed on runway

13 and taxied in and unloaded the passengers. I then loaded the

passengers for the second flight. I restarted the engine and taxied to

runway 13. I again performed a pre takeoff check of the aircraft with

no noted problems and taxied onto runway 13 for departure. I lifted

off and initiated a positive rate of climb. At approximately 400 to

500 feet AGL as I passed the end of the runway the engine began to

surge. At that time I was on the right main fuel tank as it had the

most fuel. I immediately switched the fuel selector to the left main

tank, and verified that my electric fuel pump that I had turned on for

takeoff was still in the on position. The engine continued to surge.

The terrain offered no acceptable landing area so I initiated a shallow

turn to the left. The engine then quit. I tried to find a suitable landing

area but the terrain was extremely hilly and uneven. I then prepared

for the emergency landing. I attempted to turn off the fuel and master

switch before impact.

The pilot was interviewed the day of the accident. The interview, in part, stated:

[The pilot] was piloting the aircraft and upon takeoff, the aircraft

initially climbed "normal." As the aircraft climbed, [the pilot] shut

off the auxiliary booster. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power

and [the pilot] turned the auxiliary booster back on. [The pilot]

executed a left hand turn in an attempt to return to the same runway

since the engine had lost power. After banking left, [the pilot]

realized that the aircraft was not going to be able to make it back to

the same runway. [The pilot] then took action to prepare for an

emergency landing. In doing so, [the pilot] recalls telling the

passengers to make sure they had their seatbelts tight.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. The pilot held a third class medical certificate, with limitations for corrective lenses, dated March 19, 2004. The pilot reported he had accumulated 477 total flying hours and 93.5 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot reported accumulating 14.7 hours of flight time in the 90 days prior to the accident, 5.2 hours of flight time in the 30 days prior to the accident, and 0.9 hours of flight time in the 24 hours prior to the accident. The pilot reported that his last flight review was completed on August 26, 2004.

Aircraft information

The accident airplane, N8745E, was a Piper PA-32-300, Cherokee Six, serial number 32-7640073, single-engine, low-wing airplane. Its engine was a 300 horsepower Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 engine, serial number L-23096-48A. Its propeller was a constant speed, two-bladed, Hartzell HC-C2YK-1BF model, with serial number CH35472B. The propeller had F8475D-4 type blades installed. The airplane contained an airworthiness certificate dated March 3, 1976 and a registration certificate dated January 24, 1991. A review of the aircraft logbooks revealed a 100-hour was completed on October 27, 2005. The airframe logbook entry on that date indicated that the airplane had accumulated 9,978 hours of service and its tachometer read 9,978. The airplane's annual inspecti