N236BC

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn March 15, 2021, about 1458 eastern daylight time, a Beech B36TC, N236BC, was destroyed when it collided with a vehicle and the ground after takeoff near Pembroke Pines, Florida. The private pilot and pilot-rated passenger in the airplane and a passenger in the vehicle were fatally injured; the driver of the vehicle sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

A witness at the departure airport reported that he heard the accident airplane during its before-takeoff engine run-up and stated that the engine was sputtering, “like [a] rough idle.” He heard cycling of the propeller, “a few times” and the engine backfired when power was increased during each sequence. He further reported that the engine sounded “…high, very high. From low to full rpm repeatedly which was more than a normal run-up. He was doing it fast.” The witness did not observe the airplane’s takeoff.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control information, the airplane was cleared for takeoff from runway 10L at 1457:05 and the pilot was instructed to enter the left downwind leg of the traffic pattern, which he acknowledged. There were no distress calls received from the airplane during the flight.

A pilot-rated witness located about 775 ft northwest of the departure end of runway 10L saw the airplane in a very low climb at a “very slow rate.” He attributed the takeoff to be a soft-field takeoff. The witness’s attention was diverted, but he reported hearing a sudden total loss of engine power, adding that it “failed completely.” At that time, the airplane was about 100 to 200 ft past the departure end of the runway and at an altitude “definitely lower than 300 ft above ground level.” The airplane remained at the same attitude for 1 to 2 seconds, then started a “gentle” right bank while maintaining same pitch attitude. The airplane then “stalled,” spun, and pitched nose down. He heard the sound of impact and noted an explosion. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONAfter manufacture in 1996, the airplane was exported to South Africa, where it remained until de-registered for export to the United States in January 2021.

According to an individual who inspected the airplane as part of its last annual inspection, the engine was operated twice and, “All engine operation was normal.” To his knowledge, the airplane had been flown twice since the inspection was completed. After one short flight on March 2, 2021, the accident pilot and another individual were seen working on the engine for an unknown reason. After the second flight on March 9, 2021, the pilot (right seat occupant of the accident flight) informed him that the airplane flew, “perfectly well,” but the knob for the aileron trim was slipping. Follow-on inspection of the aileron trim knob revealed it was satisfactory.

According to the airplane type certificate data sheet, the maximum engine rpm and manifold pressure were 2,700 and 36.0 inches of mercury (inHg), respectively.

As part of the Before Takeoff checklist contained in the airplane flight manual (AFM), the three-position auxiliary fuel pump was to be in the OFF position. A note in the “Takeoff” checklist indicated that takeoff rpm would be between 2,600 and 2,650 and would increase to 2,700 during the takeoff roll, while a warning in that same checklist indicated, “DO NOT TAKE OFF WITH THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP ON HI. EXCESSIVELY HIGH FUEL FLOWS CAN CAUSE ENGINE COMBUSTION TO CEASE DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL. If fuel flow exceeds the red line (34.2 gph), manually lean to 33.2 GPH prior to takeoff.”

The AFM also indicated that the auxiliary fuel pump was a single-speed, dual-pressure, electrically-driven, vane-type pump, which was located below the pilot's seat and controlled by a single three-position switch. The switch was equipped with OFF (bottom), LO (middle), and HI (upper) positions, was located on the pilot's subpanel to the left of the landing gear handle, and was used to:

1. Purge fuel vapors and prime the engine prior to start.

2. Provide a low boost to the fuel flow for all flight conditions.

3. Provide an alternate source of fuel pressure to the engine in the event the engine-driven fuel pump fails.

The airplane was fueled from a truck on March 2, 2021, with a total of 79.3 gallons of 100 low lead (100LL) aviation fuel added. The person who fueled the airplane could not recall if he filled the interconnected inboard and outboard fuel tanks on each wing. The general manager of the fuel facility reported that, since the time of the fueling, there were 551 aircraft fueled from the truck, totaling 11,735 gallons, with no issues regarding fuel quality reported. Postaccident inspection of the fuel truck by Federal Aviation Administration personnel revealed no contaminants; the fuel was blue in color, clear, and consistent with 100LL. Fuel testing was not performed.

Information from a commercial flight tracking site indicated that the airplane was flown from HWO on a local flight from 1555 to 1615 on March 9, 2021. There were no other flights between the fueling date and the accident flight. AIRPORT INFORMATIONAfter manufacture in 1996, the airplane was exported to South Africa, where it remained until de-registered for export to the United States in January 2021.

According to an individual who inspected the airplane as part of its last annual inspection, the engine was operated twice and, “All engine operation was normal.” To his knowledge, the airplane had been flown twice since the inspection was completed. After one short flight on March 2, 2021, the accident pilot and another individual were seen working on the engine for an unknown reason. After the second flight on March 9, 2021, the pilot (right seat occupant of the accident flight) informed him that the airplane flew, “perfectly well,” but the knob for the aileron trim was slipping. Follow-on inspection of the aileron trim knob revealed it was satisfactory.

According to the airplane type certificate data sheet, the maximum engine rpm and manifold pressure were 2,700 and 36.0 inches of mercury (inHg), respectively.

As part of the Before Takeoff checklist contained in the airplane flight manual (AFM), the three-position auxiliary fuel pump was to be in the OFF position. A note in the “Takeoff” checklist indicated that takeoff rpm would be between 2,600 and 2,650 and would increase to 2,700 during the takeoff roll, while a warning in that same checklist indicated, “DO NOT TAKE OFF WITH THE AUXILIARY FUEL PUMP ON HI. EXCESSIVELY HIGH FUEL FLOWS CAN CAUSE ENGINE COMBUSTION TO CEASE DURING THE TAKE-OFF ROLL. If fuel flow exceeds the red line (34.2 gph), manually lean to 33.2 GPH prior to takeoff.”

The AFM also indicated that the auxiliary fuel pump was a single-speed, dual-pressure, electrically-driven, vane-type pump, which was located below the pilot's seat and controlled by a single three-position switch. The switch was equipped with OFF (bottom), LO (middle), and HI (upper) positions, was located on the pilot's subpanel to the left of the landing gear handle, and was used to:

1. Purge fuel vapors and prime the engine prior to start.

2. Provide a low boost to the fuel flow for all flight conditions.

3. Provide an alternate source of fuel pressure to the engine in the event the engine-driven fuel pump fails.

The airplane was fueled from a truck on March 2, 2021, with a total of 79.3 gallons of 100 low lead (100LL) aviation fuel added. The person who fueled the airplane could not recall if he filled the interconnected inboard and outboard fuel tanks on each wing. The general manager of the fuel facility reported that, since the time of the fueling, there were 551 aircraft fueled from the truck, totaling 11,735 gallons, with no issues regarding fuel quality reported. Postaccident inspection of the fuel truck by Federal Aviation Administration personnel revealed no contaminants; the fuel was blue in color, clear, and consistent with 100LL. Fuel testing was not performed.

Information from a commercial flight tracking site indicated that the airplane was flown from HWO on a local flight from 1555 to 1615 on March 9, 2021. There were no other flights between the fueling date and the accident flight. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane crashed in a densely populated area east of the airport. The main wreckage, without the engine and separated propeller, came to rest adjacent to the airport perimeter fence about 1,831 ft and 138° from the departure end of runway 10L. The accident site was located adjacent to a north/south-oriented road bordering the east side of the airport. The airplane came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of 150°. The vehicle that was impacted came to rest heading 180° on the west edge of the east perimeter road near the resting position of the main wreckage. The separated propeller came to rest near the front of the car on the passenger side. Two portable electronic devices from the airplane wreckage were retained for examination, but the units sustained heat, moisture, and impact damage, which precluded the recovery of data.

Further examination of the accident site revealed two broken powerlines. The first impacted powerline, located north of the accident site, was an east/west oriented, 7,620-volt line that was installed about 35 ft above ground level (agl). The second impacted powerline, located immediately adjacent to the accident site, was a north/south oriented 120-volt insulated line that was installed about 23.5 ft agl.

Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right wing, cockpit, cabin, right horizontal stabilizer, and right elevator were nearly consumed by fire, while the left wing exhibited extensive fire damage. The left side of the stabilizer, elevator, elevator trim tab, and trim tab rod remained attached. Both spars of the vertical stabilizer were fractured and heat damaged. The fuel selector was positioned to the lef...