History of Flight
On November 11, 2010, at 1805 eastern standard time, a Piper PA44-180, registration N883FT, operated by Florida Institute of Technology (FIT) Aviation LLC, collided with the ground after an engine failure shortly after takeoff from runway 10R at Palm Beach International Airport (PBI), West Palm Beach, Florida. The instructional flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 with a night visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The flight was en route to Melbourne, Florida (MLB).
According to the FAA air traffic control tower, a female voice identified as the CFI transmitted that they had an engine failure and "needed to turn-around and land." The controller cleared the flight to land on any runway; no further communications were received. A security video from Galaxy Aviation showed the airplane taking off, then making a slow left turn until an explosion was observed.
The flight was a supervised solo cross-country training flight for familiarization with international operations.
Personnel Information
The commercial pilot, aged 22, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine, multiengine, and instrument ratings, last issued December 16, 2009, and a first-class medical certificate issued August 14, 2007, with a requirement to wear corrective lenses. His logbook showed 298.2 total hours, including 46.7 multiengine hours. His most recent multiengine flight was November 15, 2009.
The CFI, aged 26, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine, multiengine, and instrument ratings, last issued September 16, 2010, and a first-class medical certificate issued May 22, 2008, with a requirement to wear corrective lenses. She held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, multiengine, and instrument. Her flight records indicated 2,278 total hours, including 492 hours in multiengine airplanes.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a four-seat, low-wing, retractable gear, twin-engine Piper PA44-180, serial number 4496249, manufactured July 2, 2008. It was powered by two Lycoming O/LO-360-A1 H6 (counter rotating) 180-horsepower engines. The most recent 100-hour inspection was performed on October 25, 2010, at 1,638.3 hours total time.
Meteorological Information
Weather recorded at PBI at 1753: wind 200 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, scattered clouds at 6,000 feet agl, temperature 24°C, dew point 13°C, altimeter 30.12 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted taxiway hotel (H) in a nose-down, right-wing-low attitude on a heading of 340 degrees magnetic, slid 80 feet, and came to rest upright on a 060-degree heading. A postcrash fire occurred. Examination revealed the landing gear lever down, left fuel selector off, right fuel selector on. Both engines were examined; no preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found. The left engine had no fuel in the carburetor bowl; the right engine had blue fuel. Ground tests on a similar aircraft (N884FT) demonstrated that if a fuel selector was in the off position, the engine would quit after a short time.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies were performed. The commercial pilot's findings included thermal injuries; toxicology showed no carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, or drugs. The CFI's findings included multiple blunt force injuries; toxicology showed no carbon monoxide, cyanide, or ethanol, but acetaminophen and salicylamide were detected in urine.
Additional Information
Data from the PFD and MFD flash cards showed that at 18:01:08, both engines reached 2,650 rpm. Immediately after, left engine fuel flow decreased, followed by a drop in left engine rpm. Right engine remained at 2,650 rpm with fuel flow between 15 and 16 gph until the end of recording. The POH checklists include procedures where the fuel selector passes through the off position during taxi and before takeoff checks.