Incident Summary
On February 20, 2008, at 1119 eastern standard time, a Raytheon A36, registration N36GJ, was substantially damaged during a forced landing shortly after takeoff from Palm Beach County Glades Airport (PHK) in Pahokee, Florida. The certificated commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91, destined for Lakefront Airport (NEW) in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Initial Departure and Diversion
The flight had originally departed from North Palm Beach County Airport (F45) in West Palm Beach, Florida. The pilot reported performing a preflight inspection and noticing no anomalies. Shortly after takeoff from F45, the engine began to "surge." The pilot reported the surging to air traffic control (ATC), and the controller advised that he was 7 miles from PHK. The pilot was able to maintain altitude and landed uneventfully at PHK.
Second Departure and Forced Landing
After landing at PHK, the pilot examined the engine and checked the fuel system for leaks or contamination, observing no anomalies. He decided to depart again after performing a run-up inspection. Following departure from PHK, the pilot attempted to retract the landing gear, but the gear would not retract. After unsuccessful attempts to recycle the gear, he decided to return to F45 instead of continuing to NEW. When the airplane was approximately 9 miles from PHK and at an altitude of about 2,000 feet, the engine began to lose power. The pilot prepared for a forced landing and attempted unsuccessfully to restart the engine by switching fuel tanks and turning on the fuel boost pump. He observed a paved road but chose to land in a sugar cane field parallel to the road. During the landing, the landing gear "dug in" and the airplane rotated onto its nose.
Damage and Engine Examination
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to the airplane's firewall. The airplane had landed approximately 50 feet from the paved road. The engine was removed for further examination under FAA supervision. During a test run, the engine would not run on the engine-driven fuel pump, but started normally and ran without hesitation when the electric fuel boost pump was turned on.
The fuel pump was sent to Continental Engines for examination under the supervision of a National Transportation Safety Board investigator. The pump could not be rotated by hand and was disassembled. The vane cavity contained rust and corrosion. After rinsing with aviation gasoline and penetrating oil, the pump could rotate. Reassembled and tested, it produced both low- and high-end pressures without anomaly.
Maintenance History
According to maintenance records, the engine was overhauled and reinstalled on December 16, 2007, which included overhauling the fuel pump. An annual inspection was completed shortly after installation, with no anomalies noted. At the time of the accident, the airplane had flown 12 hours since the inspection.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for single- and multi-engine land and instrument airplane, and a third-class medical certificate. He reported 3,500 hours total flight experience, including 900 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane.
Weather Conditions
The weather reported at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), approximately 30 miles east of the accident site, at 1053, included wind from 080 degrees at 12 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 3,600 feet, temperature 23°C, dew point 13°C, and altimeter setting 30.22 inches of mercury.