Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 20; Flight Crew Total 1277; Flight Crew Type 285
Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Distraction; Confusion
Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Ground Event / Encounter Loss Of Aircraft Control; Ground Excursion Runway
Aircraft Aircraft Damaged; Flight Crew Landed As Precaution; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; General Evacuated; General Maintenance Action
Procedure; Human Factors; Aircraft
My family and I were returning home from a short vacation. We had filed an IFR flight plan. We planned to refuel and then complete our trip to our home base. The IFR flight to our first fuel stop was without incident. Monitoring the AWOS prior to landing revealed the winds to be out of the West varying from 240-290 degrees at approximately 5-7 knots. Given that the winds were blowing essentially across the runway in a variable fashion such that the preferred runway would also be variable; a call was made on the CTAF requesting the airport advisory. It went unanswered. The last report from the AWOS as I was approaching the airport indicated the wind at 270 degrees; and so a visual approach and landing was made to runway 34 without incident. The airplane was refueled by me and topped off. A weather briefing was obtained using the ForeFlight commercial app. It revealed good VMC conditions through to our destination. Thus a decision was made to complete the last leg of our trip VFR. A weather briefing continued to reveal the wind to be variable across the runway from the West. A standard preflight inspection was done by me and did not reveal any abnormalities.The engine was started and initially it did run very rough; and this I attributed to the fuel vaporizing in the lines due to sitting in the sun and the hot engine from the recent flight - not an uncommon occurrence in my particular aircraft. Indeed; when the standby electric fuel pump was turned on the engine smoothed out and seemed to run as normal. As we taxied from the ramp I again listened to the AWOS. It revealed the winds to be at 290 degrees at 7 knots; and thus I made the decision to depart from runway 34. The taxi itself appeared to be normal. A standard run-up of the engine did not reveal any abnormalities or anything that sounded unusual. Takeoff flaps were set at 10 degrees as per the POH. Given that we were fully loaded and the density altitude was significantly higher than field elevation; I considered using 25 degrees of flaps as specified in the POH for short field takeoff. I elected not to do this for 2 reasons. First of all; our home field is very similar to this airport with regards to its runway - a 4000 FT runway at approximately 600 feet MSL. I've made many departures under similar conditions without incident using the standard takeoff technique. Given that the aircraft is turbocharged mitigates the deleterious effect of density altitude. My second consideration was that since the winds were so prominent from the West; I was concerned that the added surface area of exposure with the additional flaps might make the directional control more challenging as the takeoff proceeded. Thus I made the decision to use the standard takeoff flap setting.The initial takeoff roll appeared normal; and a quick scan of the instruments revealed appropriate indications. Quickly however the takeoff progressed into something that didn't feel right. Despite using standard crosswind takeoff technique with aileron deflection into the wind it was challenging to hold the aircraft on the centerline. The aircraft also did not appear to be accelerating as quickly as I would've expected and felt very sluggish; almost as if we were dragging something. There was a strong tendency for the aircraft to yaw to the right. The aircraft came off the ground at approximately midfield and I held it in ground effect. The aircraft was very near stall speed and continued to feel very mushy with regards to control feel. I made a quick assessment that we had used up over half of the available runway and had significant obstructions at the end of the runway in the form of tall trees and power lines. I was 100% confident that we were not going to clear the obstructions. I made the decision to abort the takeoff and try stop in the remaining distance we had left. I immediately pulled the throttle to idle and the aircraft settled to the runway. I applied the brakes firmly but evenly and appliedappropriate aileron to counteract the crosswind. I immediately felt the same dragging force pulling me to the right as I had earlier. Despite my best efforts to keep the aircraft on the centerline I was unable to counteract the force that caused me to yaw to the right. We departed the runway to the right and as we went off the pavement I felt the right main gear buckle. The aircraft then slid parallel to the runway for a short distance before coming to a stop. I immediately verified that my family was OK; which they were; and asked them to exit the aircraft. I quickly shut off the master; alternator; electric fuel pump; and magnetos and exited as well. We then walked back down the runway to the FBO.As to my explanation of the cause; examination of the runway demonstrates a single tire skid mark generated by the right main tire which begins approximately at the point I recall touching down and continues until the point of departure from the runway. The single tire skid mark from the right main is joined near the point of departure from the runway by tire skid marks from the left main and nosewheel as well. The orientation of the three skid marks demonstrates that the aircraft was in a leftward yaw as it slid off of the runway; this in attempt by me to hold the aircraft on the runway with left rudder despite the significant drag to the right. The right main gear went off of the runway first and folded back; causing the aircraft to yaw to the right as it slid in the grass parallel to the runway before coming to a final stop. In my opinion a mechanical failure involving the right main tire and/or brake caused an anomaly during the takeoff; slowing my takeoff roll and thus increasing the length of runway needed to become airborne; as well as causing the significant yaw to the right. This persisted during my attempt to stop the aircraft after the aborted takeoff resulting in me being unable to maintain directional control on the runway.
PA-32 pilot detected drag during takeoff and countered with rudder during the prolonged takeoff roll. Once airborne he realized obstacles would not be cleared and landed but ran off the runway end where the right gear collapsed. The right tire and/or brake were thought to be the cause of the takeoff drag.