History of Flight
On February 1, 2009, at about 1415 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-18-150 (registration N2424A) operated by Flightline Group, Inc., collided with a vehicle during takeoff from Ayavalla Field, a private airstrip near Tallahassee, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal local flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial-certificated pilot and one passenger in the airplane were not injured, while the two occupants of the vehicle were killed. The flight was originating at the time.
The pilot stated that before beginning the takeoff roll, a dirt bike and then a jeep with two occupants began driving down the runway in the same direction as his departure. The runway was oriented north/south. After becoming airborne, he remained close to the runway and passed to the right of the jeep. He felt a bump and realized he had impacted the jeep. He observed that the left wing navigation light was hanging down. He performed a 180-degree turn and landed uneventfully to the east.
The pilot reported that at the time of collision he was flying at 75 mph, and estimated the jeep was traveling at 35 to 40 mph. No briefing was conducted before takeoff, though the occupants of the jeep knew he was going to take off. The pilot had seen the dirt bike and jeep depart before he applied power. He stated he had performed the same procedure many times: the dirt bike and jeep would drive down the runway, and he would depart in the same direction and fly low over them. He reported no preimpact failure or malfunction with the airplane or flight controls.
According to law enforcement, after the collision the jeep veered left and impacted trees.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 54, held an airline transport pilot certificate with a multi-engine land rating, and a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land and sea ratings. He also held a private pilot certificate with a glider rating. He was issued a second-class medical certificate on January 15, 2007, with a limitation to wear corrective lenses.
The rear-seat occupant of the airplane did not hold any FAA-issued pilot certificates.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1993 by Piper Aircraft, Inc., as model PA-18-150, serial number 1809075. It last received an annual inspection on October 15, 2008.
Meteorological Information
A surface observation at Tallahassee Regional Airport at 1353, about 22 minutes before the accident, reported wind from 180 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 4,300 feet, broken clouds at 7,000 feet, temperature 16°C, dew point 8°C, and altimeter setting 30.19 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
Ayavalla Field is a private airstrip with a single grass runway oriented north/south. The runway is 3,800 feet long and 300 feet wide. The pilot reported the runway was dry, with no visibility restrictions.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination by the Leon County Sheriff's Office revealed two parallel tire tracks from the jeep, oriented southerly, then arcing left off the east side of the runway. The jeep came to rest upright near a pine tree with damage to the trunk near the base. A semicircular indentation from tree contact was noted on the right side of the jeep's hood. The jeep sustained greater damage on the right side. The jeep's windshield was found before the parallel marks began the arcing left turn. The airplane stopped on the runway facing southeast near the midpoint of the arcing turn.
Examination of the airplane by a manufacturer representative with FAA oversight revealed damage to the leading edge of the left wing from just outboard of the landing light to the wingtip. Fuselage tube deformity was noted at the wing root attach point. Flight control continuity for aileron, elevator, and rudder was confirmed from each surface to the control sticks.
Medical and Pathological Information
Postmortem examinations of the vehicle's driver and passenger were performed by the District Two Medical Examiner's Office. The cause of death for the driver was listed as "Blunt traumatic injuries of head and neck," and for the passenger as "Blunt head trauma."
Forensic toxicology on the pilot's blood by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement was positive for 11-Nor-9-carboxy-delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (8.1 ng/mL) and negative for ethyl alcohol.
Forensic toxicology on the driver's blood by the University of Florida Diagnostic Reference Laboratories was negative for volatiles and a comprehensive drug screen; an unquantified amount of Metoprolol was detected in urine.