Piper PA 32-300 N4125W

Summary

On 16 August 2014 at about 19:10 local time, a Piper PA 32-300 registered N4125W was involved in an accident near Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 August 2014 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Ardmore, Oklahoma, United States

Nearest airport

Ardmore Downtown Executive (1F0)

Coordinates

34.1331, -97.1108

Aircraft

Piper PA 32-300

Registration

N4125W

Category

Airplane

Year built

1967

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ardmore → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14FA434

1 person died.

The partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because thermal damage to the engine prevented a complete examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane had been parked on the ramp for 2 to 3 months waiting for completion of engine maintenance work. The evening before the accident, the pilot and the passenger, who held a mechanic certificate, were seen replacing the engine's Nos. 4 and 6 cylinders. On the day of the accident, after a test run-up, the engine cowling was installed, and the airplane departed. Witnesses reported that the airplane used most of the 5,000-ft runway before lifting off and did not appear to be climbing normally when it disappeared out of sight. The passenger reported that, about the time the airplane became airborne, he heard a "metallic pop." Unable to stop the airplane on the runway in the remaining distance, the pilot continued the takeoff. The passenger added that the engine continued to run, but the airplane was not able to climb above a set of wires. Examination of the accident site determined that the airplane's landing gear struck a transmission power line, and the airplane impacted terrain about 0.82 mile southeast of the airport. Although the engine continued to run after takeoff, it is likely that it was not generating full power, and the airplane was unable to climb sufficiently to clear power lines. A postcrash fire consumed most of the airplane's cabin, part of the wings, and portions of the engine. Due to fire damage, only a limited examination of the airframe and engine could be done; the limited examination did not reveal any pre-impact abnormalities.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.