N4103R

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On April 19, 2001, about 1633 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N4103R, registered to Skobin Import and Export, Inc., crashed in a wooded area near warehouses shortly after takeoff from the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the international passenger/cargo flight. The airplane was destroyed by impact and a postcrash fire, and the private-rated pilot, sustained serious injuries. Four passengers were fatally injured. The flight originated about 4 minutes earlier.

The airplane was fueled before departure; during fueling a witness noted postal crates and miscellaneous packages next to the airplane. The person who fueled the airplane reported seeing the pilot load the last of the cargo into the airplane. Sometime after fueling, the passengers were taken to the airplane; a person who escorted them reported seeing cargo in the left rear portion of the cabin. A copy of the statement from the person who observed the cargo location in the airplane and from the person who noted the postal crates are an attachment to this report.

According to a transcription of communications with the Fort Lauderdale Air Traffic Control Tower, the pilot contacted flight data/clearance delivery at 1615:07, then ground control at 1625:14, and was cleared to taxi to runway 9L, which was acknowledged. At 1627:05, the pilot contacted local control (tower), and advised that the flight was holding short in sequence for runway 9L. The controller advised the pilot that a twin engine general aviation airplane would be departing first, then she would be departing. At 1628:42, the controller advised the accident pilot to taxi into position and hold, which was acknowledged. At 1629:15, the controller advised the pilot to maintain visual separation with the previously departed airplane, gave the wind as 070 degrees at 14 knots, and cleared the flight for takeoff. At 1629:25, the pilot acknowledged the takeoff clearance and advised the controller that the flight was "...rolling." Review of a certified copy of the voice tape revealed the flightcrew of a U.S. Airways flight was advised by the tower controller to position and hold immediately after the accident pilot advised the tower controller that the flight was rolling. The transcription of communications further indicates that at 1630:51, the controller stated, "cherokee zero three romeo tower are you experiencing any difficulty", to which the pilot replied at 1631:03, "...slightly uh i may have to circle." There were no further recorded transmissions from the accident pilot. The controller then advised the U.S. Airways flightcrew, "...i'm not going to get you out that cherokees having a little bit of difficulty", to which one of the flightcrew members responded, "yeah we noticed...."

A flightcrew member of the U.S. Airways flight reported that the takeoff roll seemed to be unusually long and was longer than expected for an airplane of that type. The flightcrew members did not notice the point of rotation but both reported the airplane was climbing "slowly" and never climb higher than 300 feet above ground level (agl). Both flightcrew members also reported that during the climbout, the airplane was observed to drift to the left, and one reported the airplane was noted to then begin a nose level descent before losing sight of the airplane. Both reported there was no smoke trailing the airplane during the takeoff roll or during the climbout. One of the flightcrew members reported seeing the wings rocking during the climbout. Copies of NTSB Record of Conversation forms are an attachment to this report.

The tower controller in contact with the accident pilot reported to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector-in-charge (FAA-IIC) that the accident flight's takeoff roll began from the beginning of runway 9L. The airplane became airborne at approximately the "Delta" intersection, and the aircraft was porpoising and the wings rocking at the "Quebec" intersection. The controller reported that the airplane never climbed higher than 100 feet, and he contacted the pilot after he saw the aircraft was having "difficulty." The controller reported that at that point, there was runway remaining. A copy of the FAA Record of conversation with the controller and a copy of the controller's "Personnel Statement" are attachments to this report.

A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) employee who was located in a building on the airport reported he first noticed the airplane when it was 6,000 feet down the 9,000-foot runway, and estimated that the airplane was 80-100 feet agl. He stated, "The aircraft was flying with unusual characteristics. It was much slower [than] what I would have considered normal. It also was maintaining a high angle of attack and was slowly pitching up and down. The aircraft was not gaining altitude rapidly." He further stated the flight continued eastbound and when it cleared the east end of the runway, the airplane was at an estimated 230 feet. He noted that the airplane was in a left bank and lost sight of the airplane. A copy of his statement and diagram are an attachment to this report.

Several witnesses who were located near the departure end of the runway reported the airplane was only between 100-200 feet agl when it passed their position. One witness reported that the engine sound was steady but didn't sound "fast." Another witnesses who was at gate 101 (located east and north of the runway), reported the airplane appeared to be having trouble gaining altitude and was fishtailing left to right. He also reported the airplane seemed to "porpoise" up and down, and the engine sounded like it was at full throttle. He did not perceive of an engine malfunction. Several witnesses near the accident site reported hearing an engine indication described as, "stall out", or "sputtering noise" immediately before the airplane was observed to pitch nose down. One witness who was inside a building located about 100 yards south of the crash site and who has 35 years experience as an automobile mechanic reported he never saw the airplane but heard an airplane flying low; the engine sounded as if it were operating at full throttle. He reported he did not hear the engine missing or sputtering. Another witness also located approximately 100 yards from the accident site observed the airplane pitch nose-up, and the airplane banked to the left in an approximate 45-degree angle of bank. The airplane then pitched nose down and left wing low. He reported hearing the engine revving up and down (surging) immediately before the crash. Personnel from the warehouses rescued the pilot and attempted to rescue the passengers, but were unable. A postcrash fire was extinguished by local fire departments. The witness statements are an attachment to this report.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot is the holder of a private pilot certificate with airplane single and multi-engine land ratings. According to FAA Integrated Safety Information System (ISIS) database records, she was issued a warning notice for cited Federal Aviation Regulation violations pertaining to operation of a U.S. registered airplane on May 4, 2000, in Nassau, Bahamas. The records indicate that an FAA inspector performed a ramp inspection of the airplane and noted it was full of unsecured cargo, and the pilot was unable to produce an aircraft flight manual. The records indicate the pilot had no previous accidents or incidents. Excerpts from her airman's file and the ISIS database records are attachments to this report.

She was issued a third class medical certificate with no limitations on November 4, 1999. On the application for that certificate she indicated a total flight time of 1,008.1 hours and listed her occupation as manager with Van Tran Aviation Ltc.

The pilot did not provide flight time or recency of experience information. According to United States Customs Service Private Aircraft Enforcement System Arrival Report records, the accident pilot flew 27 times as pilot-in-command into the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport between January 1, 2001, and the accident date.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was last inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on November 14, 2000. At that time, the recorded total time in service was 8,499.9 hours. The engine was last overhauled on September 19, 1997, and installed in the airplane on October 17, 1997. The engine received a, "Continued Time Repair/Propeller Strike" inspection on May 18, 1999; the engine was approved for return to service and installed in the airplane on November 13, 1999. The engine received a second, "Propeller Strike/Continued Time Repair" inspection on May 23, 2000. The engine again was approved for return to service and was installed in the airplane with a zero time propeller on August 14, 2000. The engine oil and oil filter were changed the day before the accident. At the time of the accident the engine had accumulated approximately 1,347.6 hours since overhaul. A copy of the engine logbook is an attachment to this report.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A special weather observation taken at the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport about 1 minute after the accident indicates that the wind was from 080 degrees at 13 knots with gusts to 19 knots. The visibility was 10 statute miles, few clouds existed at 4,700 feet, broken clouds existed at 6,000 feet, the temperature and dew point were 24 and 12 degrees Celsius respectively, and the altimeter setting was 30.23 inHg.

COMMUNICATIONS

The pilot was in contact with the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT); a transcription of communications is an attachment to this report.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The runway used by the pilot is 9,...