History of Flight
On December 1, 2018, about 1327 eastern standard time, a Cessna 335, N79HP, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to recorded communications with the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE) tower, the pilot was instructed to fly runway heading and was advised wind from 150° at 18 knots, gusts 23 knots. The flight was cleared for takeoff from runway 9. At 1325:17, the controller instructed the pilot to contact Pompano Beach Airpark tower. At 1325:26, FAA radar data placed the airplane about 1.4 nm east-northeast of the departure end of runway 9. About that time, an occupant reported: "ground we got a fire left engine turning right back." The controller cleared the flight to land on any runway. Radar and GPS data showed the airplane on a northerly heading at slightly above 100 ft msl at 1325:50. At 1325:58, an occupant stated "sink rate on uh." At 1326:13, the airplane was on a westerly heading at 301 ft msl and 110 knots groundspeed, with altitude and speed decreasing. The airplane turned left toward runway 27 and continued descending. The last GPS position at 1327:03 showed 67 knots groundspeed.
A video taken by an FXE employee showed white smoke trailing from the left engine as the airplane departed. A witness 650 ft north-northeast of the site observed the airplane in a nose-low, descending attitude, hearing engine noise at takeoff power with no sputtering and no in-flight fire. Security video near the site showed the airplane sliding on the ground with landing gear retracted, a white mist trailing, and an open access panel on the left upper engine cowling. Upon impact with a building, a large fireball and intense post-impact fire ensued.
Personnel Information
The pilot had received Notices of Disapproval for the flight portion of his airline transport pilot certificate checkride on March 3 and March 30, 2016, conducted in a Piper PA-23. On the first, he failed to select, tune, identify, and monitor ground navigation equipment for precision approaches; on the second, he failed to maintain desired altitude during precision and non-precision approaches.
A friend who flew with the pilot in a Cessna 310R about 8-9 months before the accident reported that during two simulated zero-thrust events, the pilot misidentified the affected engine and applied incorrect rudder. The friend attributed this to the pilot having a duty day greater than 17 hours and recommended additional flight training.
Aircraft Information
The airplane’s previous owner reported it sat unoperated for several years at Palm Beach International Airport. After sale, maintenance was performed to allow a repositioning flight to FXE. The pilot of that flight noted that just after rotation, left engine rpm dropped to about 2,300 while right engine rpm was about 25 below red line. The airplane climbed only 100 fpm at "shy" of blue line airspeed, which he described as "scary." He adjusted the right engine to match rpm, after which the left engine improved. He informed the repair individual and then-owner not to fly it because it was unsafe.
The airplane was sold to the accident pilot in early 2018 via an internet auction. The listing indicated total time 4,200 hours, each engine 1,046 hours since major overhaul, with records substantiating the times. It stated "Engines run strong... Aircraft needs annual."
Maintenance records found in the wreckage showed an inspection consistent with an annual inspection on July 18, 2018. Cylinder differential compression readings were >64 psi (left) and >68 psi (right). Fuel injectors were cleaned, mixture and idle rpm adjusted. The entry for the left propeller indicated systems checked. The sign-off specified the airplane was not approved for return to service.
On July 31, 2018, the pilot requested a ferry permit from the FAA, which was not issued. A ramp inspection on August 5 noted discrepancies including "Left engine mounts appear to be sagging." A condition notice was placed. A second ferry permit request on August 9 was denied after a follow-up inspection showed no progress.
On August 22, the pilot requested assistance from another maintenance facility. An inspection was stopped after over 100 discrepancies were noted, nine associated with the left engine.
Several individuals were asked to fly or accompany the airplane on a repositioning flight to the northeast. Multiple trips were made, but the airplane was never ready. On November 3, 2018, a "huge oil leak" from a loose oil hose b-nut occurred in the left engine compartment during full-power engine runs. Other loose hoses were found. The right engine experienced partial power loss not corrected by auxiliary fuel pump settings. A mechanic adjusted the fuel setting, and during subsequent runs the left turbocharger failed. It was replaced about a week before the accident with a unit provided by the pilot, though the mechanic noted the replacement appeared worse than the removed one. The individual advised the pilot to have the engines removed and the airplane disassembled for transport.
The owner of the maintenance facility reported that on the evening of November 30, the pilot requested a toolbox. Both the facility owner and an FBO employee reported the pilot running engines as early as 0300 on the accident morning. The FBO employee noted the left engine cowling was removed and the pilot had tools in the left engine compartment between run-ups. Later that morning, the facility owner observed the airplane taxi for engine runs with upper cowlings removed; airport surveillance video showed a maintenance engine run from 0923 to 0957, with an occupant outside near the engines.
The pilot informed the facility owner that the right engine was experiencing detonation. The owner, based on the pilot's description, surmised the engine was running too rich and advised adjusting the engine-driven fuel pump. The owner called a friend to advise the pilot not to fly the airplane, but the pilot refused.
Each main fuel tank was filled with 100LL fuel. Postaccident fuel samples from the fuel truck and farm were blue, consistent with 100LL, with no contaminants noted. No fuel-related issues were reported from other airplanes fueled from the same source.
Maintenance records did not reflect installation of the left turbocharger or correction of discrepancies from the annual inspection, FAA ramp inspection, or the most recent maintenance facility inspection.
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was in an office park on the north side of the airport, about 2,172 ft and 040° from the departure end of runway 09. The nose section, a portion of the cockpit, and both engines were inside a building that had been occupied; sections of both wings, the cabin, and empennage were immediately outside the building. The building sustained structural damage to a concrete wall, as well as impact and fire damage.
Nearby, slight damage to the roof of another building and ground scars were found. The roof was 17 ft 6 inches above ground level. A ground scar consistent with the outer left wing was about 79 ft after the roof impact, indicating a 12° descent angle. Additional ground scars from the fuselage and propellers were oriented on a magnetic heading of about 190°. The airplane came to rest about 173 ft from the roof contact point.
Examination revealed the cockpit, cabin, and sections of both wings were nearly consumed by postaccident fire. The fuselage rested upright on a magnetic heading of 194°. All components necessary for flight remained attached or were near the wreckage. Throttle quadrant propeller controls were full forward; tabs in each slot were in place and undamaged. Flight control continuity was confirmed from surfaces to cockpit except where cut for recovery. All flight control surfaces were accounted for and exhibited heat damage. Trim tab actuators extended: rudder 1.25 inches (right), elevator 1.375 inches (5° tab trailing edge down, takeoff range), aileron 1.75 inches (neutral). All landing gear were retracted. Flap motor indicator showed retracted. Blue fuel was noted in the remaining right auxiliary fuel tanks.
The left engine, separated from the nacelle and inside the building, was extensively fire damaged. The rod-oil gauge and cap assembly was missing from the oil breather assembly. Oil staining was present on crankcase halves near the nose seal, on induction and exhaust pipes of cylinders 2, 4, and 6 (left side), and on the left side of the lower cowling. The right side of the lower cowling was dry. Fire sleeving on flexible lines in the aft area was thermally damaged, leaving only glass mat. No loose b-nuts were found on remaining lines. Fuel injector lines were intact and undamaged with no loose connections. The engine, propeller, and propeller governor were retained for further examination.