Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Blacksburg, Virginia, July 27, 2006

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The airplane was completely fueled earlier during the day, and completed one flight uneventfully. The airplane departed on runway 30 for a return flight to the pilot's home airport. About 200 feet agl, the engine began to run rough and lost partial power. The electric fuel pump was already on, and the pilot switched fuel tanks, but the engine continued to run rough. The pilot initially flew a left hand traffic pattern for runway 30; however, he subsequently did not think the airplane would reach that runway. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a closed runway oriented about 070 degrees. The airplane touched down near the end of the runway, traveled over a grassy area, and struck trees. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the flaps were in the retracted position. The left wing fuel tank was compromised during the impact. The right wing fuel tank remained intact, and was approximately 1/4-full. In addition, fuel was present in the fuel manifold. The fuel selector was found positioned toward the left tank position, but not in the detent. Further examination of the wreckage revealed that the number six exhaust valve pushrod was bent, possibly during recovery of the airplane. Examination of the engine, including the number six cylinder exhaust valve, did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was performed about 20 days prior to the accident, and the airplane had accumulated approximately 3 hours of operation since the inspection.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.