N68DW

On October 25, 2018, at 0915 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N68WD, was substantially damaged when it made a forced landing to a field after a partial loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from the New Market Airport (8W2), New Market, Virginia. The private pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to a private company and operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight that departed at 0850 and was destined for the Luray Caverns Airport (LUA), Luray, Virginia.

The pilot stated that shortly after takeoff, the engine suddenly went to idle power. He was unable to maintain altitude and landed short in a cornfield. Upon landing, the left main landing gear penetrated thru the left wing and separated from the airplane. The nose landing gear collapsed, and the firewall and an engine mount were substantially damaged.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed a postaccident examination of the engine. The propeller was manually rotated, and compression and valve train continuity were established on each cylinder. Throttle and mixture cable continuity was established to the carburetor, but the mixture cable was jammed in place from impact damage. The throttle was not impinged and when moved, the accelerator pump moved and pumped fuel. Examination of the carburetor revealed no external damage; however, when the air box and alternate air control was removed a dead mouse fell out the intake manifold onto the ground.

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. His last FAA Third class medical was issued in September 2016. The pilot reported a total of 470 flight hours.

Weather reported at Front Royal Warrenton County Airport (FRR), Front Royal, Virginia at 0935 was reported as calm wind, visibility 10 miles and clear skies.