N93DC

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 21, 2003, about 1648 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-31, N93DC, registered to Clearwater Aircraft, Inc., experienced an in-flight loss of control and crashed into a residential area near Clearwater Air Park, Clearwater, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the reported 14 CFR Part 91 business flight from St. Augustine Airport, St. Augustine, Florida, to Clearwater Air Park. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire, and the commercial-rated pilot and pilot-rated right front seat passenger were fatally injured. A pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight originated about 1547, from St. Augustine Airport.

According to a partial transcription of communications with St. Augustine Air Traffic Control (ATC)Tower, at 1537:38, an occupant established contact and advised the controller they would be departing to the west, and requested taxi clearance; the flight was cleared to taxi to runway 13. At 1545:23, an occupant contacted the tower and advised the controller that the flight was ready to depart. The controller questioned the direction of flight and the response was, "westbound towards tampa." At 1546:28, the controller advised, "niner three delta charlie ah roger vfr runway one three cleared for takeoff make your turnout to the ah southwest." An occupant acknowledged the takeoff clearance and southwest departure route and at 1548:43, the tower controller advised the flight frequency change to Jacksonville Approach was approved. An occupant advised the controller that a change in heading was needed for weather avoidance, which the controller approved. An occupant acknowledged the controller approval to the heading change. There were no further communications with the accident airplane with any ATC facilities; the flight proceeded towards the destination airport.

According to an individual located at Clearwater Air Park (destination airport), before the accident occurred, he heard an occupant of an airplane whose registration he could not recall ask, "...for an advisory for the field", and "...what the weather was like." He advised that the winds appear to be in favor for runway 16, which was left hand traffic, the runway was wet, and the rain seemed to be letting up. At a point when the airplane should have landed and had not, he was alerted to the crash by an unknown individual. He called 911, and informed the dispatcher that an airplane had crashed on the runway. He subsequently learned the airplane had not crashed on airport property.

A pilot rated witness located north of the Clearwater Air Park (destination airport), and nearly due west of the accident site reported seeing the airplane on what he thought was final approach to runway 16, but the airplane was "very low." The witness reported the airplane made a, "sudden, sharp turn to the left [flying eastbound]." He then lost sight of the airplane and proceeded to the accident site. Another pilot-rated witness who was located in a vehicle approximately 1/4 mile west-northwest of the accident site reported observing an airplane flying from the northwest. The airplane banked to the left flying eastbound at a, "...very slow airspeed and banking and yawing left and right." While flying eastbound it appeared to him that whomever was flying the airplane was executing a go-around as evidenced by the landing gear retracting, followed by the flaps. The airplane then appeared to climb which appeared very unstable, again yawing left and right. The airplane then banked to the right, stalled, and entered a spin impacting the ground. He called 911 and drove to the Clearwater Air Park. He further reported seeing both propellers rotating during all phases of flight.

Still another witness who was located approximately 1/10th of a nautical mile east-southeast from the accident site reported he came out of his house after the rain ended and was facing west. He saw the accident airplane from the northwest and thought it had descended lower than normal. The airplane was flying above the tops of nearby trees and while flying in a southeasterly direction, pitched up, "darn near got 90 degrees", rolled to the left, and descended straight down. He reported he did not hear the engines, and thought he should have been able to hear them if the pilot had "revved them up." He estimated his view of the flight lasted approximately 10-15 seconds, and couldn't tell if the landing gear was extended. He did not see any smoke trailing the airplane, and after the impact he ran into his house, called 911, got into his car, and drove to the scene. He heard an explosion, and saw flames. He got to the airplane and helped rescue a passenger who was beating on the aircraft's door. Fire rescue arrived and he was told to leave the area.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The left seat occupant was the holder of a FAA commercial pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, and instrument airplane ratings. He also was the holder of a FAA certified flight instructor certificate with airplane single engine, airplane multi-engine, and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a first class medical certificate on July 24, 2002, with the restriction, "must wear corrective lenses." A review of the application for the medical certificate revealed he listed a total time of 600 hours.

The right seat occupant (pilot-in-command) was the holder of a FAA private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land, airplane multi-engine land, instrument airplane, and glider ratings. He was issued a second class medical certificate on July 18, 2002, with the restriction, "must wear corrective lenses and possess glasses for near & intermediate vision." A review of the application for the medical certificate revealed he listed a total time of 760 hours.

No determination could be made as to who was manipulating the controls at the time of the accident.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured by Piper Aircraft Corporation as a model PA-31, and designated serial number 31-7712017. It was certificated in the normal category and equipped with two Lycoming TIO-540-A2C engines rated at 310 horsepower at 2,400 rpm, and two constant speed, manual feathering Hartzell HC-E3YR-2ATF propellers with FC8468B-6R propeller blades.

A review of the airplane maintenance records revealed the airplane was last inspected in accordance with an annual inspection that was signed off as being completed on August 5, 2002. The airplane total time on that date was 6,019.8 hours. The last entry in the airframe logbook was dated February 8, 2003. The entry indicated replacement of the directional gyro; the airplane total time was 6,042.3 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

There was no record that the pilot obtained a preflight weather briefing for the intended flight.

According to the NTSB Meteorological Factual Report, the closest airport with a surface weather observation was the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (KPIE), St. Petersburg, Florida, which was located approximately 134 degrees and 6 nautical miles from the accident site. A METAR taken at the airport at 1653, or approximately 5 minutes after the accident, indicates the wind was from 120 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 23 knots. The visibility was 10 statute miles, the present weather-thunderstorms; broken clouds existed at 4,300 feet and 5,500 feet, and overcast clouds existed at 8,000 feet. The temperature and dew point were 24 and 23 degrees Celsius, respectively, and the altimeter setting was 30.02 inHg. The remarks section of the METAR indicated lightning was noted in all quadrants, and rain ended at 1645.

The NTSB Meteorological Factual Report also indicates that the surface analysis chart for 1700 hours, or approximately 12 minutes after the accident does not show any fronts over Florida. A pilot report (PIREP) over PIE at 2,500 feet on the day of the accident at 1615, or approximately 33 minutes before the accident, indicates overcast clouds existed at 2,500 feet. A plot of the flight path of the airplane overlaid onto a image of visible data for the time 1645, or approximately 3 minutes before the accident, indicates at the end of the flight path, clouds were visible. Additional plotting of the flight path of the airplane overlaid onto Tampa Bay Weather Surveillance Radar (TBW WSR-88D) radar images revealed that at 1633:39, the airplane was in an area of NWS/FAA Intensity Level (VIP) 1 reflectivity. Another image at 1638:45, indicates the airplane was between reflectivity of VIP level 5. The reflectivity were approximately 2-3 miles either side of the airplane's ground track. Still another image at 1643:52, indicates the airplane was in an area of VIP level 2 reflectivity.

COMMUNICATIONS

The communications to and from the Clearwater Air Park Airport were not recorded. There were no reported communication difficulties.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

The Clearwater Air Park Airport is equipped with one runway designated 16/34. The asphalt runway is 3,300 feet long by 75 feet wide, and is equipped with a 4-box visual approach slope indicator (VASI) on the left side of runway 16.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane crashed in the front yard of a house located at 1840 Greenlea Drive, Clearwater, Florida. The residence was not damaged and there were no ground injuries. The accident site was located at 27 degrees 59.189 minutes North latitude and 082 degrees 45.664 minutes West longitude, or 003 degrees and .34 nautical mile from the approach end of runway 16 at Clearwater Air Park (destination airport).

Examination of the accident site revealed the majority of the wreckage came to rest in the driveway of the residence near a road; separated portions of the airplane were located on the ground adjacent to trees in the front yard of the residen...