Accident Summary
On June 20, 2008, about 1210 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-18-150, registration N988PC, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain at Placid Lakes Airport (09FA), Lake Placid, Florida. The certificated private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The aerial observation flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions; no flight plan was filed.
Flight History and Fueling Incident
The airplane was based at 09FA. Shortly before 1100, the pilot began fueling the airplane. During fueling, the fuel nozzle fractured at its swivel joint, spilling fuel on the airplane. The airport manager's husband was notified at 1100 and completed the repair by 1130. After fueling, the airplane departed on the accident flight, with the stated purpose of locating a specific bear tracking collar. The flight duration was approximately half an hour.
Witness Observations
The only witness to the return of the airplane was the husband of the airport manager. He observed the airplane flying south along the north-south runway at an estimated height between 40 and 100 feet above ground. As the airplane neared the south end of the runway, he heard the engine rpm increase and saw the airplane execute an abrupt pull-up, followed by a left turn and rapid descent, which he described as a "drastic left bank." The airplane then disappeared behind a treeline, and he heard a "thud." He drove to the south end of the runway and found the airplane had impacted the ground. The pilot was seated in the front seat, the passenger in the rear.
Several other witnesses reported observing the airplane during the flight over nearby lakes. Witnesses on Lake Annie, Lake Placid, and Lake June saw the airplane flying at very low altitudes, sometimes just above the water. One witness reported the airplane flew "very, very close" over a boat, with the passenger taking photographs. Another saw the airplane cross a road in a "sideways figure 8" pattern near power lines.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA-18-150 was a high-wing, fixed-gear, tailwheel airplane with a bright yellow finish. Manufactured in 1988, it had several post-delivery modifications including additional antennas, vortex generators, and a 180-horsepower engine. The engine, a Lycoming IO-360-C4P, had accumulated 759.6 hours since new. The most recent annual inspection was completed on February 25, 2008, at a tachometer time of 1,160.1 hours; at the accident, the tachometer read 1,223.1 hours.
The flap control system consisted of a cockpit handle connected by cable to trailing edge flaps. The handle had a spring-loaded button and pawl locking mechanism. Post-accident examination revealed that the flap cable was not connected to the flap handle; the attaching hardware was missing.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest in a grassy area approximately 940 feet north of the south end and 130 feet east of runway 18/36. The fuselage was in a near-vertical, nose-down attitude, with the nose embedded about 16 inches into the ground. The forward fuselage showed significant aft crush damage; the cabin volume was greatly reduced. All flight control surfaces were accounted for. There was no fire. The left and right fuel tanks were crushed and contained no fuel.
Engine Examination
On July 9, 2008, the engine was examined. Both propeller blades exhibited chordwise scoring and were bent aft. The engine was partially disassembled; no anomalies were found in cylinders, valves, spark plugs, magnetos, or lubrication system. Two carburetor bowl screws were under-torqued, and the float height measured 8/64 inches instead of the required 13/64 inches.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies performed on both occupants listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force traumatic injuries. Toxicological testing of the pilot detected Citalopram and its metabolites in liver and urine; no ethanol was found. The pilot's most recent medical certificate application, dated July 16, 2007, indicated use of Tricor and Clarinex D and included "yes" responses to hay fever, other illness, and hospitalization, but "no" to heart or vascular problems and mental disorders.
Passenger's Camera and Images
The passenger's Nikon D300 camera was recovered from the wreckage. The memory card contained 99 digital images, with the last taken on June 20, 2008, at 12:10 PM. Images from the accident day depicted views from the rear seat of the airplane, including low-level views of water bodies, boats, and the right main landing gear contacting water. Seven images captured between 12:06 and 12:08 showed the landing gear tire in contact with water, evidenced by water spray patterns.
Airport and Weather
Placid Lakes Airport (09FA) has a single asphalt runway, 18/36, measuring 4,800 feet by 50 feet, at an elevation of 130 feet. The 1205 surface observation from an airport 30 miles east recorded wind from 320 degrees at 4 knots, scattered clouds at 3,900 feet, temperature 32°C, dew point 22°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.06 inches of mercury. Visibility was 10 miles based on nearby observations.