Piper PA-28R-201T N135DG accident near Sacramento, California

Probable cause

A loss of engine power during the initial climb due to the detachment of the turbocharger’s inlet sleeve as a result of the installation of an incorrect sleeve clamp.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, shortly after takeoff at an altitude about 500 ft, the engine sputtered, then lost total power. The pilot attempted to restore engine power while turning back to the departure airport. Realizing that he would not reach the airport, the pilot initiated a forced landing onto a golf course, during which the airplane impacted a building and sustained substantial damage.

The engine data monitor revealed that the manifold pressure and rpm were 30.5 inches of mercury (inHg) and 2,339 rpm, respectively, when the pilot returned to the airport, about 1.6 nautical miles from the departure end of the runway at an altitude of 691 ft agl. The last recorded data was 29.3 inHg and 148 rpm, recorded at an altitude of 60 ft about 1,280 ft from the accident site.

Postaccident examination revealed a disconnected sleeve connecting the air filter cover assembly to the turbocharger inlet. The airplane’s illustrated parts catalog showed that a T-bolt, flat-banded clamp was needed to secure the sleeve to the turbocharger inlet; however, the clamp that had been installed was a lined worm gear clamp.

The turbocharger inlet sleeve was reattached with the existing worm gear clamp to facilitate a test run. During the test run, the engine ran for 5 minutes between 1,300 to 1,500 rpm due to impact damage, which precluded operating the engine at higher power settings or at idle. After the engine run, the inlet sleeve was again found disconnected.

Review of the airplane’s maintenance logbooks indicated that the turbocharger was removed and reinstalled about 4 years before the accident flight; the entry did not contain information about the hardware used to reinstall the turbocharger. The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was conducted about 4 months and 38 flight hours before the accident flight.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR24LA267 for the full record.