N28MR

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On August 7, 2010, about 0920 eastern daylight time, a Beech 58, N28MR, descended into a house near Saltsburg, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot and certified flight instructor (CFI) were killed. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the occupied house was destroyed, while an occupant of the house was not injured. The airplane was registered to Sataire LLC, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as an instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE), about 0908.

According to a transcription of communications with the LBE Air Traffic Control Tower, and a certified copy of the voice tape, an occupant of the airplane contacted ground control which was combined with the local control position and requested taxi clearance from the east ramp to runway 23, with a departure to the northwest for "…some airwork." The flight was cleared to taxi to runway 23, and review of the voice tape revealed the same occupant contacted local control and advised the controller that the flight was ready to depart. The local controller cleared the flight for takeoff from runway 23 with a right turn approved. That transmission was acknowledged by the occupant; there was no further recorded communications from the accident flight.

One witness who was outside reported hearing sputtering sounds from an engine, then observed the airplane flying in level flight in a westerly direction. She then noted that the wings were teeter-tottering followed by seeing the nose pitch down. She then saw the airplane in a spin descending in a nose-low attitude. Another witness who was also outside reported hearing spitting and sputtering sounds from the engine and looked up seeing the airplane flying in level flight in a northwesterly direction with little white puffs of smoke coming out of both engines. The witness attributed the smoke to be coming from the sputtering engines, but once the engines restarted 3 or 4 seconds later, the smoke stopped, but the spitting and sputtering started again followed by the puffs of smoke. The witness reported the engines stopped operating and to him it appeared that the airplane slowed, followed by the airplane drifting to the left side and left wing dipped down. The airplane started a 45 degree nose and left wing low descent spinning to the left. The witness described seeing pencil streams of smoke trailing both engines during the descent with the streams twisting behind the airplane like licorice candy.

Several witnesses reported hearing abnormal engine sounds, followed by seeing the airplane in a left spin, or spiraling down which continued to the ground. One witness heard the engine quit and restart several times, then rev up loudly after the third restart. Several witnesses reported to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector-in-charge seeing smoke or vapor trailing both wings. One witness reported seeing the airplane in a slow left spin, which continued until the airplane went down below the tree line. The witness then heard the impact and saw rising smoke.

The occupant of the house who was in the basement reported he was asleep on a couch and was awakened by a violent noise. House debris was blown into the basement, and he immediately got up, got his dog, and went outside where he called 911 to report his house was on fire, which burned incredibly fast. While outside he noticed a portion of a wing beyond the edge of the roof, and could also distinguish a "chrome propeller."

Uncorrelated radar data for airplanes transmitting VFR transponder code (1200) at the departure airport and surrounding area for the approximate takeoff and accident times was provided by the FAA. Review of the supplied data revealed at 0909, or approximately 1 minute after the flight was cleared for takeoff, a target at 2,000 feet mean sea level (msl) was noted approximately 240 degrees and 0.6 nautical mile from the departure end of runway 23. The target proceeded in a north-northwesterly direction and climbed to approximately 3,600 feet msl. At approximately 0914, the radar data indicates the target turned 360 degrees to the left while maintaining approximately 3,600 feet msl; the turn took slightly less than 2 minutes. The radar data indicates the target briefly resumed the north-northwesterly heading, before turning 360 degrees to the left again, while maintaining approximately 3,600 feet msl. The second turn took less than 1 minute and at the completion of the turn, the target briefly continued north-northwesterly before turning 360 degrees to the right while maintaining approximately 3,600 feet msl. The right turn took approximately 1 minute to complete, then the target was noted proceeding on the north-northwesterly heading. While continuing on that heading the target climbed to a maximum altitude of 4,200 feet msl which occurred at 0919:31, and the groundspeed slowed to 137 knots. The target remained at that altitude until 0919:44, during which time the groundspeed was recorded to be 127 knots. The next radar target with altitude and groundspeed at 0919:45, indicates the altitude was 3,900 feet, the heading was 292 degrees, and the groundspeed was 113 knots. The radar data indicates that between 0919:45, and 0919:53, the altitude remained constant at 3,900 feet, the groundspeed decreased from 111 to 81 knots, and the heading changed from 290 to 194 degrees. The next and last radar target at 0919:57, indicates the airplane was at 3,900 feet, the groundspeed was 70 knots, and the heading was 323 degrees. The last radar target was located at 40 degrees 28 minutes 55.59 seconds North latitude and 079 degrees 30 minutes 58.47 seconds West longitude, or approximately 137 degrees and 900 feet from the accident site location.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot, age 65, held a commercial pilot certificate with rating(s) airplane single and multi-engine land, instrument airplane. On August 3, 2007, a notice of disapproval of application was prepared indicating that during a practical test in a level D simulator for a Cessna 510 airplane, the pilot failed several areas including powerplant failure during takeoff. He received 6.0 hours of additional training and on August 14, 2007, he obtained a type rating in a Cessna 510 airplane with a limitation that a second-in-command was required because he did not meet the single pilot proficiency requirement. There were no other records of failures for any pilot certificate or additional rating(s). He held a second class medical certificate with no medical restrictions or limitations issued November 23, 2009. On the application for his last medical certificate he listed 3,200 hours as his total flight time. There were no records of enforcement action or previous accidents or incidents in the FAA database.

Three pilot logbooks were presented documenting his flight time from May 16, 1967, to the last entry in logbook No. 3 dated November 5, 1999. Although a current pilot logbook was not located, copies of pilot logbook pages, and spreadsheet pages were provided to NTSB documenting his flight time from July 15, 2006, to January 3, 2010. Review of the logbooks, copies of pilot logbooks pages, and spreadsheet pages reflect flights in multi-engine airplanes consisting of Hawker Beechcraft 58 and B60, Cessna 340 and 510 (N75ES), and Piper PA-60. He logged a total multi-engine flight time of approximately 1,516 hours, of which approximately 560 hours were accrued in the accident make and model airplane between July 21, 1983, and March 21, 1990.

The CFI, age 66, was a FAA designated pilot examiner (DPE), and held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane multi-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He also held commercial and certified flight instructor (CFI) certificates. The commercial pilot certificate was endorsed with airplane single engine land rating, and the CFI certificate was endorsed with airplane single and multi-engine, instrument airplane ratings. At the airline transport pilot certificate level he was type rated in a Hawker Siddeley HS-125, Lockheed L-1329 (Jetstar), and Learjet LR-60 airplanes. He held a first class medical certificate issued June 14, 2010, with a restriction to wear corrective lenses. On the application for his last medical certificate he listed 23,250 hours as his total flight time. There were no records of enforcement action or previous accidents or incidents in the FAA database. On March 25, 2008, a notice of disapproval of application was prepared indicating that during a flight test in a level D simulator for a Learjet 60 airplane, the pilot failed the powerplant failure during takeoff procedure. There were no other records of failures for any pilot certificate or additional rating(s).

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was manufactured in 1982 by Beech Aircraft Corporation as model 58, and was designated serial number TH-1328. At the time of the accident, it was powered by two 300 horsepower Teledyne Continental IO-550-C engines and equipped with 2 four-bladed Hartzell HC-C4YF-2E constant speed full manual feathering propellers. It was also equipped with vortex generators and a throw-over control yoke.

Review of the maintenance records revealed the airplane was last inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on March 8, 2010. The airplane total time at that time was 1,809.8 hours. The destruction of the airplane precluded determination of the airplane total time at the time of the accident.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

A surface observation weather report taken at the departure airport at 0950, or approximately 30 minutes after the accident indicates the wind was from 230 degrees at 5 knots, the visibility was 9 miles, and clear skies existed. The temperature and dew point were 21 and 17 degrees Celsius respectively...