History of Flight
On September 20, 2009, at about 1750 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, registration N2467Y, operated by Bull Gator Air, Incorporated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91, crashed in the Florida Everglades, 22 miles east of Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE). Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Gainesville Regional Airport at 1613.
According to FAA communication transcripts, the pilot contacted Miami approach control at 1740. At 1745:47, the pilot issued a mayday call reporting a fire in the engine. The controller asked if the pilot would try to make it to FXE. Radar data showed the airplane at 3,800 feet mean sea level on a heading of 110 degrees, then descending 300 feet. The pilot reported smoke in the cockpit and intent to reach the nearest airport.
The controller advised that Pahokee Airport was 24 miles away, but the pilot opted for FXE, stating he had power but lost one cylinder and could see fire from the nose. The airplane maintained altitude around 3,500 feet then descended to 3,400 feet.
At 1748:12, the controller vectored the airplane for a visual approach to runway 8 at FXE. The pilot later reported more smoke and considered landing on Highway 27. At 1750:31, the pilot transmitted "we're on fire, we're on fire." No further transmissions were received, and radar data ended.
A witness, a Florida Wildlife Conservation officer, observed the airplane at about 75 feet above power lines, in a 40-degree left bank with nose 20 degrees below the horizon, trailing black smoke and flames on the engine cowling. The bank angle increased, and the airplane collided with the ground in a near-vertical attitude.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 46, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane, and a third-class medical certificate issued December 3, 2008, with no limitations. He reported 2,000 flight hours on his last medical application. His logbook was destroyed, and his total hours and last flight review could not be determined. An insurance application from May 28, 2009, indicated 1,883 total hours, with 1,183 in the PA-32R.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat, low-wing, retractable gear airplane, serial number 32R-8529019, was manufactured in 1985. It was powered by a Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD 300-horsepower engine with a Hartzell three-bladed propeller. The engine was overhauled on April 11, 1994, and had accumulated 2,030 hours since overhaul. The manufacturer recommended overhaul after 1,800 hours or 12 years. The last annual inspection was on February 9, 2009, at 3,590.1 hours. The airplane was topped off with 25 gallons of 100 low-lead fuel before departure.
Meteorological Information
The 1753 FXE surface observation reported wind from 110 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 2,600 feet agl, scattered clouds at 3,400 and 4,500 feet, temperature 29°C, dew point 23°C, altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The crash site was in the Frances Taylor Conservation Area 3A-North, about 22 nautical miles west of FXE, at coordinates 26°32'61.0"N, 080°59'15.0"W. The airplane came to rest inverted in about 6 feet of water on a heading of 258 degrees magnetic. The propeller remained attached; two blades showed aft bending and twisting, one showed fore and aft bending. No leading edge damage or rotational scoring was present.
The engine cowling was fragmented. The forward baggage compartment and nose gear wheel well were fragmented. The nose gear was separated and fragmented. The firewall was separated from the airframe, and all engine mounts were separated. Engine accessories were separated. The accessory case housing was broken away and not located.
The forward and rear cabin areas were fragmented. The instrument panel was fragmented, and flight instruments were not located. Control cables exhibited overload failures.
The main spar box was fire-damaged, with sections missing. The right wing had accordion compression damage; fuel tanks were fire-damaged and ruptured. The left wing also had accordion crushing. Both main landing gears were retracted.
The aft fuselage and empennage were fragmented and fire-damaged. The vertical fin was attached but separated at mid-span. The rudder was attached and fire-damaged. Stabilator tips were separated.
The engine was damaged on all sides; the crankcase was fractured and broken open. The crankshaft was broken aft of the front main bearing. All six cylinders were damaged. The exhaust system was crushed; the turbocharger assembly was separated. The magneto was not located. The engine-driven fuel pump was separated; no fuel was present. The manifold fuel line to the No. 5 cylinder injector was fractured at the nozzle.
Localized fire damage was noted on the rear right engine section near the No. 5 cylinder, under the turbocharger.
Medical and Pathological Information
Postmortem examinations of limited remains by the Broward County Medical Examiner on September 22, 2009, determined the cause of death for all occupants as multiple blunt force trauma. Thermal injury was noted on the upper back of a rear passenger. No blood was available for carbon monoxide testing.
Forensic toxicology on pilot specimens detected ethanol in muscle (49 mg/dL) and lung (11 mg/dL), methanol in lung (23 mg/dL), N-Butanol in muscle (15 mg/dL) and lung (5 mg/dL), and N-Propanol in muscle (4 mg/dL).
Tests and Research
The fractured No. 5 fuel line was examined by the NTSB Materials Laboratory. The fracture plane was orthogonal to the tube axis with no shear lips. Brazing filler metal was present on the outer diameter, and faint thumbnail-shaped crack arrest lines consistent with fatigue crack initiation and propagation were observed.
Review of Airworthiness Directive compliance records showed that the fuel injection lines and clamps were inspected at the last annual inspection on February 4, 2009, and no defects were reported.