History of Flight
On January 12, 2013, at approximately 1529 eastern standard time, a Benton Seawind 3000, registration N829GS, was destroyed after colliding with trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from runway 22 at Sarasota/Bradenton International Airport (SRQ) in Sarasota, Florida. The aircraft was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
According to air traffic control personnel, the pilot departed under visual flight rules and did not issue a distress call before the accident. Witnesses on the ground provided varied accounts. One witness observed the takeoff roll to be longer than usual and the airplane climbing slowly; it appeared to descend flatly into the trees without any spin. Another witness heard a "backfire" or "pop" sound before seeing the airplane nearly strike a telephone pole, then hit trees, resulting in a large fireball. This witness reported the engine was running but at reduced power throughout the sequence.
Two air carrier pilots on taxiway Bravo also observed the accident. The captain noticed the aircraft yaw right after reaching about 300 feet above the ground, then stop climbing and descend; the airplane disappeared behind a tree line before a flash of fire. The first officer described the aircraft as struggling to maintain controlled flight at a shallow descent around 300 feet, with wing dips and speeds near stall.
Prior to departure, a local flight instructor saw the pilot having difficulty starting the engine, requiring four or five attempts, and later observed the canopy open during taxi. Another pilot noted the airplane taxiing with the upper engine cowling removed. Earlier that morning, the pilot had conducted high-speed taxi tests on the runways, reportedly achieving 120 knots and stating the engine and propeller were working correctly. The passenger, a potential buyer, arrived about 1400, and this was the first flight after recent maintenance.
Personnel
The 70-year-old commercial pilot held certificates for single-engine land and sea, multi-engine land, instrument airplane, and flight instructor (single-engine). He reported 15,000 total flight hours, with 250 in the previous six months, on his most recent medical application. His logbooks were not recovered.
The pilot-rated passenger, holder of a private pilot certificate with single-engine land, glider, and instrument ratings, reported 1,200 total hours with 20 in the preceding six months. His logbooks were also not located.
Both individuals sustained fatal injuries; postmortem examination of the pilot determined the cause of death as thermal cutaneous burns, with a positive carboxyhemoglobin level of 7 percent saturation. Toxicology testing showed no carbon monoxide, no ethanol, and salicylate (an aspirin metabolite) in the urine.
Aircraft Information
The Benton Seawind 3000, N829GS, had been at SRQ since September 2012. The accident pilot had previously performed an emergency landing in the same aircraft in the Indian River Lagoon following a loss of engine power; a fuel injector line was replaced due to a broken fitting, and the propeller and governor were overhauled for unrelated reasons. The last condition inspection was performed on September 11, 2012, but aircraft and engine time were not recorded.
Meteorological Information
At 1553, the SRQ surface observation reported scattered clouds at 6,500 feet, wind from 230° at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles or more, temperature 77°F, dew point 67°F, and altimeter 30.08 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane struck three tall pine trees on the campus of New College of Florida before impacting terrain and coming to rest inverted on a lawn. A post-crash fire consumed much of the wreckage. The main wreckage was located about 0.3 nautical miles beyond the departure end of runway 22, with a debris field approximately 300 feet long oriented on 240°. The left wing was fragmented, with aileron control cables showing tension overload. The right wing remained partially attached. Both fuel tanks were compromised. The propeller assembly was examined: blade A was in a feathered position, blade B in extreme reverse, and blade C in flat pitch, with one blade's preload plate indicating low pitch. The engine was fire-damaged but hand-rotating showed continuity and compression on all six cylinders. The fuel injection servo was near full throttle and full rich; the fuel flow divider was burned. Initial examination suggested possible obstruction in two fuel nozzles, but later laboratory analysis using radiography and microscopy found no blockages, only soot and trace hydrocarbons.
Tests and Research
Laboratory examination of the six fuel injection nozzles from the accident engine revealed no internal blockages. However, one nozzle showed evidence of an aliphatic hydrocarbon, consistent with fuel or oil. The propeller assembly was tested and found to have blade positions indicating low pitch at impact.