History of Flight
On September 30, 2015, at 1147 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, registration N21ND, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during takeoff from St Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Clearwater, Florida. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was owned by Sowards Aircraft Leasing, LLC and operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed near the accident site, and no flight plan was filed.
The airplane owner, who had purchased the aircraft three days before the accident, dispatched the pilot from San Diego, California, to Saint Petersburg, Florida, to pick up the airplane and return it to southern California. The airplane had recently undergone maintenance and an annual inspection.
On the morning of the accident, the pilot met with the previous owner to review airplane-specific procedures and systems. The previous owner stated that he emphasized the importance of maintaining airspeed in the event of an engine power loss. He offered to accompany the pilot for additional familiarization training, but the pilot declined. The pilot indicated he would perform touch-and-go landings to become familiar with the aircraft before departing.
Radio communications recordings from the FAA show that at 1125, the pilot contacted ground control, requested a radio check, and stated his intention to perform touch-and-go landings. At 1131, he performed engine run-up checks and taxied to runway 36 three minutes later. At 1135, he was cleared for takeoff. After completing his first touch-and-go landing, he was cleared for a second at 1144.
Witnesses reported that during the initial climb following the second landing, the airplane appeared to struggle between 100 and 200 feet above ground. One pilot holding short of the runway noted an unusually shallow climb and a drift to the right of the centerline. At about 100 feet, the airplane rolled sharply to the right and pitched nose-down before impacting the ground.
Security camera video showed the airplane climbing with the landing gear extended. The flap position could not be determined. The airplane then rolled right and descended steeply nose-down before exiting the camera view.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane, as well as a flight instructor certificate with corresponding ratings. He held a first-class medical certificate issued January 16, 2014. He had logged approximately 768 total flight hours, including 166 hours in multiengine airplanes. In the previous 90 days, he flew 221 hours, with 85 hours in the last 30 days. His multiengine experience was in Piper PA-44 and Beechcraft BE-55 aircraft. No logbook entries were found for the Piper PA-30.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA-30 was manufactured in 1963, a twin-engine, low-wing, four-place metal airplane with retractable tricycle landing gear. It was powered by two Lycoming IO-320-B1A engines, each with a two-blade constant-speed propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on September 10, 2015, at which time the airframe had 7,252 total hours, and both engines had 1,583.4 hours since overhaul.
Maintenance records indicate the airplane arrived at the facility in March 2015 for an annual inspection. Due to the extent of work and parts delays, the inspection was not completed until September 2015. Prior maintenance had been performed on August 13, 2013. Mechanics noted the airplane required significant troubleshooting: the left engine could not exceed 1,600 rpm, and the right engine had low cylinder compression and ran too lean. After repairs, including new fuel lines and fuel system flushing, the airplane was returned to service. Work orders show compliance with FAA AD 83-10-01 for fuel contamination.
Meteorological Information
Weather recorded at PIE at 1153, approximately 11 minutes after the accident, included wind from 300° at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 2,300 feet, scattered clouds at 3,800 feet, overcast at 3,000 feet, temperature 29°C, dew point 24°C, and altimeter setting 29.82 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck a service road and came to rest upright in grass 180 feet east of runway 36, about 1,450 feet from the runway's end. No postcrash fire occurred. All major components were near the site. Debris, including Plexiglas pieces, hoses, the nose cone, a cabin door, and a landing gear assembly, were found about 20 feet west of the main wreckage. The wreckage path was perpendicular to runway 36, with the airplane on a magnetic heading of 280°.
The forward cabin exhibited aft and upward crushing. Both rudder pedals were compacted. The pilot seat was movable; the right seat was jammed. Seatbelts were functional; no shoulder harnesses were installed. Fuel selector valves were on and functional.
Control continuity was established via a fuselage tear aft of the rear seat. All cables were intact. The airspeed indicator showed 68 mph, just below the white arc. Left engine controls (throttle, propeller, mixture) were fully forward; right engine throttle and propeller were aft, mixture forward. Left cowl flap closed, right cowl flap fully open.
The left wing was crushed and bent upward 30°. The left engine remained attached. Fuel tanks held about 15 gallons. Spark plugs were oil-soaked but showed normal wear. The left fuel servo was impact-damaged but functioned normally in testing. The fuel diaphragm and injectors were clear. The oil suction screen contained particles.
The right wing had less damage. The right outboard aileron was detached. The flap was retracted. Fuel tanks held about 20 gallons. Right engine spark plugs were heavily carbon-coated. The No. 2 cylinder initially lacked compression but regained it after tapping the exhaust valve. The right fuel servo contained particulate contamination in the inlet strainer. The right propeller was in the feathered position.
Additional Information
FAA AD 69-24-04 required a placard stating minimum single-engine control speed (Vmca) of 90 mph CAS. The Piper PA-30 AFM specified this placard and radial lines on the airspeed indicator for Vmca (90 mph) and Vyse (105 mph). No such placard or radial lines were found on the accident airplane. The single-engine minimal control speed was 90 mph, and best single-engine rate-of-climb speed was 105 mph.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy on the pilot revealed multiple blunt force injuries. Forensic toxicology found no traces of ethanol or drugs.