History of Flight
On March 18, 2016, at 1130 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 340A, registration N6239X, was destroyed during takeoff when it impacted terrain after a near-miss with a Cessna 172M, registration N61801, at Peter O. Knight Airport (TPF), Tampa, Florida. The airline transport pilot and the pilot-rated passenger of the Cessna 340A were fatally injured. The private pilot and the pilot-rated passenger of the Cessna 172M were not injured, and the Cessna 172M was undamaged. The Cessna 340A was registered to Ninerxray, Inc., and operated by the pilot. The Cessna 172M was registered to and operated by Tampa Aviation Club, Inc. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An IFR flight plan had been filed for the Cessna 340A, destined for Pensacola International Airport, Florida. No flight plan was filed for the Cessna 172M, which was destined for Tampa Executive Airport, Florida.
At the time of the accident, a temporary flight restriction (TFR) was in effect at TPF due to an airshow at MacDill Air Force Base, about 5 nautical miles southwest. The TFR authorized only departures from runways 4 and 36.
The Cessna 172M had just completed a successful private pilot flight test that same morning. The pilot-rated passenger was the president of the corporation that owned and operated the Cessna 172M.
The president of the corporation that owned the Cessna 340A reported that on the day of the accident, one of the principals was scheduled to be flown by the accident pilot to Fort Lauderdale, but the trip was cancelled. The president stated that without consulting any principals, the pilot initiated the accident flight.
TPF has no control tower. At 1126, an occupant of the Cessna 340A contacted Tampa International Airport's ATCT via the remote communications outlet for an IFR departure from runway 4. They received clearance but were held, then released about 2 minutes later and advised to contact Tampa approach control. No further contact occurred.
The Cessna 172M pilot and passenger monitored TPF's CTAF of 122.725 MHz from taxi to runway 36. The pilot transmitted on the CTAF that he was taking off from runway 1, then corrected to runway 36. Both stated they heard no other aircraft on the CTAF and saw no traffic.
An FBO employee heard a radio call from the Cessna 340A stating departure from runway 4. About 10-15 seconds later, he heard an unclear transmission about an airplane departing runway 1, then corrected to runway 36. When he asked another person if that call was at TPF, the person did not hear it.
The Cessna 172M pilot performed a short field takeoff. After liftoff, he heard what he thought was a twin-engine airplane at full throttle descending off the right side. He then heard a crash and saw a fireball at the departure end of runway 36. The passenger, as the 172M climbed through 200 ft, heard another airplane, looked out the right window, and saw the Cessna 340A stall and crash. The pilot continued to the planned destination because he felt it unsafe to return to TPF.
Security camera footage showed the latter portion of both departures. The Cessna 172M became airborne before the runway intersection and climbed straight ahead. As it approached the intersection, the Cessna 340A entered the left side of the video above runway 4 in a wings-level attitude with landing gear extended. The 340A then climbed in a left turn while the 172M continued straight. The 340A continued the climbing left turn, rolled inverted, and impacted the ground north of the intersection in a nose- and left-wing-low attitude. A fireball erupted immediately.
A camera on the eastern side of the shipping channel also recorded the sequence. The 172M was seen airborne over runway 36 climbing straight out. As it neared the runway 4/22 intersection, the 340A lifted off from runway 4 and almost immediately entered a hard left turn, passing behind the 172M while climbing and closing on its right side. The 340A nearly reached the 172M's altitude but continued the left turn to an inverted attitude and descended into the ground. A fireball then erupted.
A witness on a boat in the shipping channel heard a screaming engine noise and saw a twin-engine plane behind and below a single-engine plane. The twin-engine plane was in a left turn, then caught a wing and slammed into the ground with an instantaneous explosion. The airplanes were so close the witness thought they would collide.
Personnel Information
The Cessna 340A pilot, age 54, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multi-engine land rating, plus commercial, flight instructor, and ground instructor certificates. He held commercial ratings for single-engine land and sea, rotorcraft helicopter, and instrument helicopter; flight instructor ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine, rotorcraft helicopter, and instrument airplane and helicopter. His FAA second-class medical was issued June 5, 2014, with no limitations. As of October 2, 2015, he reported 5,195 total hours, with 284 in multi-engine airplanes. His last flight review was March 12, 2015.
The right seat occupant of the Cessna 340A, age 55, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating. His FAA second-class medical was issued June 6, 2014. He listed total flight time of 375 hours.
The Cessna 172M pilot, age 30, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating issued earlier that day. His FAA third-class medical was issued December 7, 2015. He listed 40 total hours, with 21.4 hours as instruction received and 18.6 hours solo.
The right seat occupant of the Cessna 172M, age 69, held airline transport, commercial, and flight instructor certificates. He held airline transport multi-engine land rating; commercial single-engine land and sea; flight instructor single- and multi-engine and instrument airplane. He reported 6,530 total hours and about 3,000 hours in a Cessna 172.
Aircraft Information
Cessna 340A The six-place, low-wing, retractable-gear Cessna 340A, serial number 340A0436, was manufactured in 1977. It was powered by two 335-hp Continental TSIO-520-NB engines with Hartzell constant-speed propellers. It had RAM Option 3 vortex generators installed in 1996 per STC SA7975SW. Maximum gross weight was 6,390 pounds. It was equipped with a Garmin GNS-530W as No. 1 comm/nav, and a Garmin GNS 430 in the center panel.
Maintenance records were reportedly on board. The last annual inspection was signed off on February 15, 2016, at 3,963.10 hours.
Calculated takeoff weight was 5,991 pounds (empty weight 4,478 lbs, occupants 208 and 207 lbs, fuel 1,098 lbs). The Flight Manual Supplement specified takeoff and climb speed to 50 ft as 93 KIAS for weights between 5,990 and 6,390 pounds.
At 6,390 pounds, with flaps up and gear up, stall speeds were 81, 93, and 115 KIAS at 0°, 40°, and 60° bank. No stall speeds were published for flaps up and gear down.
Cessna 172M The four-place, high-wing, fixed-gear Cessna 172M, serial number 17264811, was manufactured in 1975. It had three comm/nav transceivers, including a Garmin GNC-300XL GPS/Com. According to the pilot-rated passenger, the audio panel was replaced in November 2015 due to static. All three radios were checked after the accident with no discrepancies.
An annual inspection was completed on July 8, 2015, at 9,412.4 hours, and the next on August 10, 2016, at 9,601.1 hours. No radio entries existed between those dates.
Meteorological Information
At 1115, the automated observation at TPF reported wind from 210° at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 27°C, dew point 20°C, altimeter 30.00 inHg.
Airport Information
Peter O. Knight Airport had no control tower. The CTAF of 122.725 MHz was not recorded. Equipment to record the CTAF was installed after the accident. There were no reported complaints about CTAF reception issues related to buildings or structures.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The Cessna 340A impacted flat terrain about 40 ft to the right of and 250 ft from the departure end of runway 36. Initial ground scars indicated a magnetic heading of about 10°. The wreckage came to rest upright; both engines separated from the wings. The right engine lay between the start of the wreckage path and main wreckage; the left engine was on the right wing.
A postcrash fire consumed most of the fuselage from the nose to the beginning of the empennage. Both wings were substantially consumed. Remnants of all flight control surfaces were found. Flight control continuity was only confirmed between the wings and center cabin and between the tail and center cabin due to fire damage. The elevator trim tab actuator was extended 1.4 inches (5° tab trailing-edge-down); rudder trim tab actuator 1.0 inch (5° tab trailing-edge-right); aileron trim tab actuator 1.7 inches (neutral). The flap motor position correlated to flaps retracted.
Communication transceiver frequencies and audio panel configuration could not be determined due to fire.
Both engines had crankshaft continuity and cylinder compression confirmed. Significant thermal and impact damage were noted, but no preexisting anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation.
Both propellers separated from their engines and exhibited leading edge burnishing, bending, and twisting.
The Cessna 172M was examined by FAA inspectors the day of the accident; no operational radio testing was performed. The pilot-rated passenger reported subsequent testing of all three radios was satisfactory.
Communications
No control tower at TPF. The CTAF was not recorded. After the accident, recording equipment was installed. There were no reported communication difficulties with Tampa ATCT.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Hillsborough County Medical Examiner performed postmortem examinations of the Cessna 340A occupants. Cause of death for both was listed as blunt impact to head and neck. Toxicology for both was negative for volatiles, drugs of abuse, comprehensive drug screen, and benzodiazepines.
FAA toxicology on the pilot found no ethanol in muscle and brain; unquantified atorvastatin, diphenhydramine, and naproxen in liver. Atorvastatin and naproxen are not considered impairing. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine. Carbon monoxide and cyanide testing was not performed.
For the pilot-rated passenger, no ethanol or tested drugs were detected. Carbon monoxide and cyanide testing was not performed.
Drug and alcohol testing was not requested for the Cessna 172M occupants.