What happened
On February 17, 2010, a Piper PA-30 departed from Tradewind Airport (TDW) in Amarillo, Texas, bound for Alamogordo-White Sands Regional Airport in New Mexico. Shortly after takeoff at 0706 CST, the aircraft, registration N8501Y, climbed to approximately 900 feet AGL and initially headed southwest. About one minute into the flight, the aircraft began a right turn toward the north.
A witness near the accident site observed the aircraft flying at an altitude of less than 100 feet on a northerly heading. The witness reported seeing the airplane perform a steep climb and bank to the right before entering a steep descent. The aircraft subsequently impacted a warehouse building at 505 Southwest 47th Street, resulting in 2 fatal injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The investigation
Investigators examined the two Lycoming IO-320-B1A engines. The left engine showed no mechanical issues that would have prevented power production. However, during the examination of the right engine, investigators found that the fuel recovered from the fuel pump, fuel servo, and fuel flow divider contained visible water droplets.
Fuel recovered from the sumps of both the left and right engines also tested positive for water. Additionally, investigators found that the fuel caps for both auxiliary tanks could be removed without releasing the expansion tab, and the left main fuel tank cap could be removed without unscrewing the release mechanism.
Records indicated that the aircraft had been left uncovered and exposed to accumulating snow at Parker County Airport (WEA) on February 5, 2010, approximately twelve days before the accident.