What happened
On a warm day, a Piper PA 60-601P departed from a 3,93-foot-long asphalt runway. The aircraft, which was operated by a commercial pilot who also held partial ownership, was estimated to be approximately 208 pounds below its maximum gross weight, with the center of gravity likely within safe limits. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft became airborne near the end of the runway. As the plane began a shallow climb, it struck the tops of trees measuring approximately 30 feet in height. Following this contact, the aircraft entered a steep left bank, rolled into an inverted position, and entered a nose-dive toward the ground. The wreckage and debris path were consistent with an aerodynamic stall.
Performance calculations indicated that the aircraft required roughly 3,800 feet of paved runway to clear a 50-foot obstacle using short-field techniques. Given the runway length, there was very little margin for error regarding takeoff procedures. While the engines and propellers showed no evidence of pre-crash anomalies, the impact damage prevented testing to confirm if the engines were producing full rated power.
Findings
Investigation into the pilot's history revealed several regulatory and safety concerns. FAA records indicated the pilot had previously been issued a letter of reexamination following an incident in April 2004. Furthermore, the pilot's insurance policy required him to either complete a specific flight-training program for the Piper PA 60-601P or fly with a qualified instructor, and there was no evidence these requirements were met. At the time of the accident, the pilot was also facing a pending FAA enforcement action regarding unsafe operations from 2003. The investigation could not definitively determine if maintenance issues, such as the need for turbocharger replacement, contributed to the loss of performance, but the lack of margin in the takeoff roll left no room for deviations from standard procedures.