Piper PA-28-140 N4981T accident near Ridgeland, South Carolina

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a precautionary landing. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

After takeoff from runway 21, the airplane climbed to an altitude of 500 feet; however, the pilot felt the engine was not producing sufficient power, and performed an uneventful landing. The pilot performed a run-up check of the engine, found it was operating normally, and then elected to depart again. While on the downwind leg, about 200 feet above the ground, the pilot again felt there was a problem with the engine, so he again elected to land, but during this attempt he maneuvered the airplane to return to the opposite end of the runway. The airplane approached the runway at a near 45-degree angle and landed hard, collapsing the landing gear. A postaccident inspection of the wreckage revealed no evidence of any mechanical abnormalities. Reported winds were from 180 degrees at 5 knots.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA09LA176 for the full record.