N821ET

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 11, 2016, at 1813 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, N821ET, impacted an airport parking lot after takeoff from Reno/Tahoe International Airport (RNO), Reno, Nevada. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to RCS3 LLC and was being operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed for the personal flight, which was destined for San Carlos Airport (SQL), San Carlos, California.

The purpose of the flight was to transport the rear-seat passenger from Nevada to California, where a series of warrants had been issued for her arrest. The front-seat passenger was a California-based bail bondsman, and the pilot was his associate. Security video footage and records provided by the fixed-base operator (FBO) at RNO indicated that the airplane arrived at the FBO about 1715. A fuel order was placed 5 minutes later, and the pilot and bail bondsman then walked to the FBO's reception area. The fueling was complete by 1725, and by 1741 the pilot had returned. He removed the chocks, leant over the wings and appeared to briefly look into both fuel tank filler necks, and then boarded the airplane. About 5 minutes later the bail bondsman arrived with the arrested passenger, who was restrained by leg chains. Although her entry into the airplane was obscured from view by the fuselage, she appeared to make multiple attempts to step up into the cabin. After about 3 minutes of maneuvering, she was onboard, followed by the bail bondsman. The engine was then started at 1753, and the airplane taxied away from the ramp at 1804.

According to witnesses, the airplane began its takeoff roll from the threshold of runway 25 and, following rotation, climbed to about 200 to 300 ft above ground level (agl) before leveling off. One witness, who was a line technician for a local FBO, was positioned on the ramp just north of runway 25 and 2,000 ft from the runway threshold. He stated that the airplane initiated its rotation abeam his position and immediately began to rock around its longitudinal axis. The nose then pitched up to a high angle and remained in that attitude as the airplane continued flying above the runway while slowly climbing. He stated that the airplane's wing-rocking movements were far more exaggerated than anything he had seen at the airport before. He then watched as the airplane began to veer to the right.

About 90 seconds after issuing the takeoff clearance, the airport tower controller, concerned that the airplane was not gaining altitude, asked the pilot if he was ok. The pilot responded, "Negative we got ah, we got a problem." Ten seconds later, the tower controller cleared the pilot to land on any runway. The pilot did not make any further transmissions. Security camera footage revealed that the airplane continued over the runway and began to veer to the right of the runway centerline. The airplane then began a descending right turn and the right wing impacted a lamppost in an airport parking lot. The outboard section of the wing then separated and the airplane immediately rolled right, impacting parked vehicles and the ground. The airplane did not appear to be trailing smoke at any point during the flight, and video revealed that the landing gear was extended at the time of impact. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land and instrument airplane, with a limitation of airplane multi-engine land under visual flight rules only. He held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate issued on January 12, 2015, with no limitations or waivers. The pilot's logbook indicated a total flight experience of about 769 hours since his first training flight in 1985 to his most recent logbook entry, dated August 23, 2016. He had accrued about 216 hours in the accident airplane since he purchased it in February 2014. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe single-engine, retractable-gear airplane was registered to a corporation, of which the pilot was the sole member. The airplane was manufactured in 1977 and powered by a turbocharged, fuel-injected, Continental TSIO-360-KBcFB engine equipped with a two-blade constant-speed Hartzell propeller. The airplane was equipped with four seats and two wing-mounted fuel tanks, each of which had a capacity of 36 gallons.

The most recent annual inspection was performed on June 9, 2016. At that time, the airframe had accumulated 4,531.5 total flight hours, and the engine 1,244.21 hours since overhaul in June 2004. The most recent pitot-static, altimeter, and transponder certification was performed on March 31, 2015.

The airplane had been retrofitted with a Turboplus engine intercooler system. The flight manual supplement did not provide specific performance increase values, but rather stated, "PERFORMANCE: with the above engine and intercooler combination installed are equal to or better than the data in the FAA Flight Manual." METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAfter providing the initial takeoff clearance, the tower controller issued an advisory to the pilot indicating that the wind was from 260° at 12 knots gusting to 29 knots.

A special METAR for RNO was issued 25 minutes after the accident and included wind from 270° at 14 knots gusting to 23 knots; 10 miles visibility; few clouds at 11,000 ft; temperature 28°C; dew point -1°C; altimeter 29.98 inches of mercury. Based on these values, the calculated density altitude was about 6,900 ft.

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, Astronomical Applications Department, the computed sunset occurred in San Carlos, California, at 1922, with civil twilight ending at 1948. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe single-engine, retractable-gear airplane was registered to a corporation, of which the pilot was the sole member. The airplane was manufactured in 1977 and powered by a turbocharged, fuel-injected, Continental TSIO-360-KBcFB engine equipped with a two-blade constant-speed Hartzell propeller. The airplane was equipped with four seats and two wing-mounted fuel tanks, each of which had a capacity of 36 gallons.

The most recent annual inspection was performed on June 9, 2016. At that time, the airframe had accumulated 4,531.5 total flight hours, and the engine 1,244.21 hours since overhaul in June 2004. The most recent pitot-static, altimeter, and transponder certification was performed on March 31, 2015.

The airplane had been retrofitted with a Turboplus engine intercooler system. The flight manual supplement did not provide specific performance increase values, but rather stated, "PERFORMANCE: with the above engine and intercooler combination installed are equal to or better than the data in the FAA Flight Manual." WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane came to rest inverted in the parking lot on a heading about 070° magnetic about 1/2 mile north of the departure end of runway 25. All major sections of the airplane were recovered at the accident site. The left wing came to rest in the flatbed of a pickup truck, and the right wing had detached and was folded aft parallel with the tailcone. The airframe sustained crush damage through to the vertical stabilizer. A car parked just west of the main wreckage exhibited a slice in its left rear quarter panel perpendicular to the airplane's heading. The dimensions of the slice matched that of a propeller blade tip. A total of fifteen vehicles were damaged during the impact.

According to first responders, the rear seat passenger remained belted into the rear left seat when they arrived at the accident site. All four seats remained attached to the cabin floor, and all seat belts remained buckled. The front two belts and the rear left belt had been cut by first responders at the accident site to recover the occupants. The rear seats were not equipped with shoulder harnesses.

The airframe and engine were examined at both the accident site and a remote storage facility following recovery. The propeller, turbocharger, and engine components were then examined at their respective manufacturing facilities under supervision of the NTSB.

The instrument panel, along with all cockpit flight controls, sustained extensive fragmentation. The fuel selector was in the left tank detent. The gascolator had been crushed, exposing the inner surface of the bowl. The bowl was free of corrosion or blockage, and the screen was free of debris.

The flight controls and their associated cables, bellcranks, chains, pushrods, and control surfaces sustained damage consistent with impact and postaccident wreckage recovery.

The stabilator trim tab, along with its associated trim screw and control arm assembly, remained attached to the stabilator. The trim jack screw in the aft cabin displayed 12 exposed screw threads on the top side. According to Piper's documentation, zero exposed threads indicated full nose down trim, 5 threads neutral, and 16 full nose-up.

Impact damage prevented an accurate assessment of the flap position.

Engine Examination

The engine sustained impact damage, which had crushed the forward inlet manifold and breached the lower portion of the oil sump, exposing the camshaft. The propeller and hub assembly were detached at the engine crankshaft forward bearing. The fuel lines, including the fuel injector lines, sustained varying degrees of damage but were intact at their respective fittings. The turbocharger assembly was partially detached from the engine. Both magnetos displayed varying degrees of external damage and were run in a magneto test stand. Both produced spark in firing order at all output leads throughout speeds ranging between 400 and 2,700 rpm.

Cylinder No. 6 exhibited crush damage to its forward face, which had displaced the intake and exhaust rockers. The engine could be ...