N43113

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 25, 2014, about 0923 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N43113, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain after a loss of control during initial climb at Maran Airport (68FD), Fountain, Florida. The pilot was seriously injured and his three passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.

On the day of the accident, the pilot conducted two flights with passengers at 68FD. On the first flight, he had one adult male and two small children on board. On the second flight the pilot also had three passengers on board but, this time the passengers were a young male, and two adult females.

The takeoffs at 68FD were performed by the pilot on runway 27, which was a turf-covered runway. Trees existed at the departure end of the runway that were part of a heavily forested area, which extended to the west of the airport.

According to witnesses, during the second flight's takeoff, after a ground roll of approximately 1,200 feet, the airplane rotated and the pilot had the "nose up pretty much." One of the witnesses who observed this began to verbalize that the pilot should "get the nose down." When the airplane reached the trees at the end of the runway, it cleared them. Moments later the witnesses observed that the airplane had begun to sink into the tops of the trees and then roll to the right. It then disappeared from sight, and the sound of impact was heard. Black smoke then rose up from behind the trees. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on May 5, 2014. He reported on that date that he had accrued approximately 148 total flight hours, 70 of which were as pilot-in-command. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe accident aircraft was 4-seat, single engine, low wing, fixed gear, monoplane of conventional metal construction

According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1974, and at the time of manufacturer was equipped with a 4-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally opposed, normally aspirated, 150 horsepower Lycoming O-320-E3D engine.

The airplane was involved in a previous accident on December 4, 1993 (NTSB Case No. MIA94LA035) when during landing, the airplane struck a canal bank just short of a runway and was substantially damaged. According to maintenance records, approximately 19 years later, on April 29, 2012, the repairs for the structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and landing gear, from the accident were completed.

On July 20, 2012, in accordance with an Avcon Conversions supplemental type certificate (STC), A Lycoming O-360-C4E engine that had been modified into an O-360-A4M engine configuration producing 180 horsepower, was installed.

The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2013. At the time of accident, the airplane had accrued approximately 2,906 total hours of operation, and the engine had accrued 6 hours of operation since overhaul. The airplane's most current weight & balance was calculated in 1992.

Computations using the data supplied with the engine modification STC, the propeller, estimated weights of the occupants, 40 gallons of fuel, and data from the last known weight and balance check in 1992 indicated that, the airplane weighed approximately 2,242 pounds at takeoff, which was approximately 158 pounds below the maximum gross weight of 2,400 pounds listed in the STC. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe recorded weather at Marianna Municipal Airport (MAI), Marianna, Florida, located 21 nautical miles northeast of the accident site, at 1453, included: winds 100 at 7 knots, 10 miles visibility, skies clear, temperature 32 degrees C, dew point 18 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.10 inches of mercury.

The recorded weather at Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), Panama City, Florida, located 24 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, at 1453, included: winds 030 at 3 knots, 10 miles visibility, skies clear, temperature 32 degrees C, dew point missing, and an altimeter setting of 30.09 inches of mercury.

The calculated density altitude at 68FD was approximately 1,900 feet. Review of an FAA Koch chart indicated that due to the density altitude the airplane would have incurred a 20-percent increase in normal takeoff distance, and a 10 percent decrease in rate of climb. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe accident aircraft was 4-seat, single engine, low wing, fixed gear, monoplane of conventional metal construction

According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1974, and at the time of manufacturer was equipped with a 4-cylinder, air-cooled, horizontally opposed, normally aspirated, 150 horsepower Lycoming O-320-E3D engine.

The airplane was involved in a previous accident on December 4, 1993 (NTSB Case No. MIA94LA035) when during landing, the airplane struck a canal bank just short of a runway and was substantially damaged. According to maintenance records, approximately 19 years later, on April 29, 2012, the repairs for the structural damage to the wings, fuselage, and landing gear, from the accident were completed.

On July 20, 2012, in accordance with an Avcon Conversions supplemental type certificate (STC), A Lycoming O-360-C4E engine that had been modified into an O-360-A4M engine configuration producing 180 horsepower, was installed.

The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on October 1, 2013. At the time of accident, the airplane had accrued approximately 2,906 total hours of operation, and the engine had accrued 6 hours of operation since overhaul. The airplane's most current weight & balance was calculated in 1992.

Computations using the data supplied with the engine modification STC, the propeller, estimated weights of the occupants, 40 gallons of fuel, and data from the last known weight and balance check in 1992 indicated that, the airplane weighed approximately 2,242 pounds at takeoff, which was approximately 158 pounds below the maximum gross weight of 2,400 pounds listed in the STC. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONExamination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane first made contact with a group of 70-foot-tall trees with the outboard portion of the right wing, then yawed and rolled to the right. It then struck several other trees on a magnetic heading of 305 degrees, separating the left outboard portion of the horizontal stabilator. The airplane then struck terrain 80 feet later in a right wing down, nose low attitude, then rotated to the right around its vertical axis and came to rest on a 119-degree magnetic heading. It was then partially consumed by a postcrash fire. Further examination also revealed the presence of propeller strikes on broken tree branches and tree trunks that littered the ground, along with areas of burned underbrush and fire damaged trees along the flight path. No evidence of any preimpact failures of the airplane structure was discovered and all major portions of the airplane's structure were present at the accident site.

Control continuity was established from the control wheel to the ailerons and stabilator and from the rudder pedals to the rudder. The pitch trim setting was approximately 25 percent nose up trim or approximately 3 degrees of the available 11 degrees of nose up trim. The wing flaps were in the up position.

Examination of the propeller and engine revealed that engine came to rest nose low on its left side. The engine was fire-damaged and remained partially attached to the tubular engine mount. The propeller remained attached to the propeller flange. One propeller blade exhibited twisting, S-bending, and chord wise scratching and the other propeller blade displayed forward bending and chordwise scratching. The carburetor displayed thermal damage. No debris was present in the float bowl or carburetor inlet screen. Oil was present in the rocker boxes and oil sump, and the oil suction and pressure screens were absent of debris. Crankshaft and valve train continuity was confirmed and compression and suction was observed on all four cylinders. Examination of the interior of the cylinders with a lighted borescope did not reveal evidence of any preimpact damage to the piston domes, cylinder walls, or valves. The spark plugs were normal in appearance with the exception of the No. 2 and No. 4 cylinder's spark plugs, which were oil-soaked consistent with the engine's post-impact position. The magnetos were fire damaged and could not be tested. ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONAirspeed Indicator Anomaly

On January 28, 2016, on-board photographs from the flight prior to the accident were provided by a relative of the airplane's occupants. Review of these photographs revealed that four of the photographs that were taken in cruise flight, indicated that at the time that the photographs were taken, the airspeed indicator needle appeared to be pointing to approximately the at rest (zero airspeed) position. Review of the video taken during the accident flight showed that the airspeed indicator's needle was within a nominal range consistent with the phase of flight. FLIGHT RECORDERSThe airplane was not equipped with either a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder, nor was it required to be., Video footage of the accident flight was captured by a witness on the ground, and by passengers onboard the airplane during the accident flight.

Ground Witness Video Recording

The video began with the ground based observer standing behind and to the right of the aircraft as it idled in the parking area. The right flap was in the retracted/up position. Engine noise increased and the aircraft began to taxi. The aircraft briefly stopped after it began rolling without a reduction in engine noise. It th...