History of Flight
On November 20, 2015, at approximately 1127 eastern standard time, a Beech A36TC, registration N7FG, descended into Clear Lake in Orlando, Florida. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Orlando Executive Airport (ORL) at about 1115, destined for Gainesville Municipal Airport (GLE) in Texas.
According to FAA communications, after takeoff from runway 7, the pilot was instructed to remain outside Class B airspace and to climb at or below 1,500 feet. However, radar data showed the airplane climbing to 2,100 feet. The pilot acknowledged the altitude restriction and began descending. Shortly after, the pilot established contact with Orlando Approach Control, requesting flight following. The controller questioned why the pilot was climbing without clearance, and instructed a left turn. The pilot then reported that he could not disengage the autopilot and needed to land. He was cleared for a return to ORL.
The pilot continued to report difficulties, stating that he was using full force on the yoke and that the airplane was porpoising. Another pilot on frequency advised pulling the circuit breaker and later turning off the master switch. The pilot attempted those actions but reported that the porpoising continued. The airplane descended erratically between 1,800 and 1,100 feet. The controller cleared him to land on runway 7. The last radar return was at 1127:02, about 0.1 nautical mile from the accident site. Witnesses observed the airplane in a hard right bank before entering a vertical descent and impacting the lake. Bystanders recovered the occupants from the submerged wreckage.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 61, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine, multi-engine, and instrument ratings, and a third-class medical certificate issued July 3, 2015, with a corrective lenses limitation. His logbook showed approximately 1,541 total flight hours, with 1,374 hours in single-engine airplanes. There was a gap in flying from 2006 to 2012. He logged 37 hours in the accident airplane since purchasing it on September 9, 2015, including 12.5 hours in the last 30 days. A logbook entry 19 days after purchase noted “GPS + Autopilot Practice.”
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1981 Beech A36TC, certificated under Civil Air Regulations 3, powered by a 300-horsepower Continental TSIO-520-UB engine with a Hartzell constant speed propeller. It was equipped with a KFC 200 autopilot system installed at manufacture. The autopilot system included various components such as a pitch servo, trim servo, and control wheel steering switch. The autopilot’s autotrim feature would activate when the pitch servo sensed control forces for more than 3 seconds. The previous owner reported no autopilot issues over 400 hours of operation. The last annual inspection was completed on June 1, 2015, at about 5,240 hours total time. Maintenance on November 13, 2015, included replacement of static wicks and tightening of headphone jacks. No repairs to the autopilot or pitch trim system were documented after the pilot’s purchase.
The ferry pilot who delivered the airplane noted a 2-second lag in the electric pitch trim and a tendency for nose-down trim after autopilot disconnection, which was easily corrected. He reported no further issues.
Meteorological Information
A surface weather observation at ORL at 1153 reported wind from 020° at 8 knots, scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, temperature 27°C, dew point 21°C, and altimeter setting 30.04 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was located in Clear Lake, about 3.7 nautical miles west-southwest of ORL’s runway 7. The wreckage was raised from the lake and transported via boat ramp. Examination revealed that both elevator trim tab actuators were extended to the full nose-up stop (1 7/8 inches). The autopilot disconnect/trim interrupt switch on the pilot’s left yoke grip was found with continuity consistent with being engaged (disconnect position). The autopilot trim switch assembly had misaligned rockers and a broken screw. The autopilot computer electrical connection was not fully mated, with a tie-wrap securing the locks. The aileron servo and other components showed impact damage. The airplane was destroyed.