History of Flight
On June 11, 2010, about 1354 mountain standard time, a Piper PA-32R-300, N7699F, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a building near Eagar, Arizona, during takeoff initial climb from the Springerville Municipal Airport (D68), Springerville, Arizona. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The private pilot and three passengers were killed; there were no reported ground injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident with an intended destination of Grand Canyon, Arizona.
A witness on taxiway A6 reported that the airplane used more runway than typical small aircraft during takeoff. After takeoff, the airplane was "rocking side to side" and appeared to have trouble gaining altitude, alternating between gaining and losing altitude three or four times. Prior to impact, it banked counterclockwise. Numerous witnesses near the accident site observed the airplane at low altitude toward Round Valley High School before an explosion and rising black smoke.
One witness in the high school courtyard heard the airplane, looked up to see it at no more than 30 feet in level attitude, then heard the impact. The engine sounded "wound up" and "running strong." Another witness saw the airplane at low altitude, losing altitude rapidly, with the engine not sputtering, then observed it turn wings at an angle as it crashed into the roof.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 50, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings. A third-class medical certificate was issued December 17, 2008, with a restriction "not valid for night flying or by color signal control." Following a medical flight test on August 14, 2009, he was granted a third-class letter of evidence after passing a signal light gun test. According to his logbook, as of May 28, 2010, he had 2,159 total flight hours, including 5.7 hours in the previous 30 days and 34.4 hours in the previous 90 days.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 32R-7780081, was manufactured in 1977. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540 engine rated at 300 horsepower and equipped with an adjustable pitch Hartzell two-bladed propeller. The airplane had four fuel tanks totaling 98 gallons (94 usable). Maximum gross weight was 3,600 pounds. The most recent annual inspection was on November 10, 2009, at tachometer time 2,474.0 hours and airframe total time 4,389 hours. The engine had 155.6 hours since overhaul. The oil was changed on April 20, 2010. A current weight and balance was not located; middle seats had been removed and were in the pilot's hangar.
The Pilot's Operating Handbook noted a demonstrated crosswind component of 17 knots and stated that performance information extrapolated beyond chart limits should not be used. Weather conditions at the time exceeded the takeoff performance charts' parameters. Calculated climb performance at maximum gross weight was about 90 feet per minute with gear down and about 410 feet per minute with gear up.
The airplane was refueled with 76.41 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel before departure. Fuel samples from the self-serve station were free of contaminants. Recovered luggage weighed about 76 pounds; additional items destroyed by fire were not weighed. Using reported basic empty weight from Piper, occupant weights, 98 gallons of fuel, and 100 pounds of luggage, total weight was about 3,392 pounds, within weight and balance limitations.
Meteorological Information
An NTSB meteorologist provided a factual report. At 1350, the AWOS-3 at D68 reported wind from 210 degrees at 25 knots gusting to 32 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 8,500 feet, temperature 25°C, dew point -2°C, altimeter 29.99 inHg, density altitude 9,700 feet. At 1355, wind was from 170 degrees at 24 knots gusting to 31 knots, other conditions similar. Based on 1350 observation, crosswind component for runway 11 ranged from 25 to 32 knots with a tailwind component of 4 to 5 knots. The 1355 observation indicated crosswind of 21 to 27 knots and headwind of 12 to 16 knots. Nearby stations reported similar windy conditions.
Airport Information
Springerville Municipal Airport is uncontrolled, field elevation 7,055 feet. Runway 3/21 was closed due to resurfacing; Runway 11/29 was 4,603 feet long and 60 feet wide with a 0.4 percent negative gradient. An unlit windsock was left of Runway 11; a larger windsock was south of the ramp. The airport had an AWOS-3.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted the high school building about 0.96 miles east of the departure end of Runway 11. The first identified point of contact was an impact mark on a light post about 22 feet above ground in the school courtyard. Damaged tree limbs were near the top of a 30-foot tree. The debris path was about 230 feet long, oriented on a heading of about 050 degrees magnetic. The wreckage included portions of the left wing, center seats, aft fuselage, stabilator, vertical stabilizer, and rudder located about 80 feet from the first impact. The forward fuselage, instrument panel, firewall, and engine were found about 200 feet beyond. The engine was inverted. A portion of the right wing was about 30 feet beyond the engine. The school building sustained extensive fire damage; the roof mostly collapsed. Examination of recovered airframe and flight control components revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunction. The engine examination also showed no preimpact mechanical malfunction. The propeller assembly, examined at Hartzell Propeller Inc., showed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Pima County Medical Examiner conducted an autopsy on June 15, 2010, determining cause of death as "Blunt force injuries" and "thermal injuries." FAA toxicology tests on the pilot were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, volatiles, and drugs.
Fire
A post-impact fire ensued; local fire department responded within minutes. The fire burned for approximately 10 to 12 hours before being extinguished. During initial firefighting, an unknown amount of gun ammunition was heard "firing off" within the school building.