Pilot Country Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spring Hill, Florida 34610
Friday, October 6, 1995 14:51 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT STATED HIS TAKEOFF ROLL WAS VERY SHORT. RIGHT AFTER LIFT OFF, THE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE SURGED. HE THOUGHT HE HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE, AND APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER, WHEN THE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE INCREASED. A WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE BECOME AIRBORNE ABOUT 500 FEET AFTER STARTING THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ASSUME A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK, AND STARTED A LEFT TURN WITH ABOUT A 30-DEGREE BANK ANGLE. THE PITCH ATTITUDE INCREASED AND THE AIRPLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND AND A HANGAR. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROLS, ENGINE ASSEMBLIES AND ACCESSORIES REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. DISASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT ENGINE GASCOLATOR REVEALED THE GASCOLATOR BOWL HAD CONTAMINATION IN THE FORM OF DIRT, DEBRIS, AND WATER. DISASSEMBLY OF THE LEFT ENGINE CARBURETOR REVEALED THE BOWL ASSEMBLY WAS DRY, AND RESIDUE IN THE FORM OF DIRT AND DEBRIS REDDISH IN COLOR WAS PRESENT ALONG THE SIDEWALLS OF THE BOWL ASSEMBLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED (VMC) ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB RESULTING IN AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL, AND SUBSEQUENT IN-FLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND AND A BUILDING. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER ON THE LEFT ENGINE DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION OF THE GASCOLATOR AND CARBURETOR BOWL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/6/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1451
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City SPRING HILL
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 34610
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PILOT COUNTRY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X05
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 80
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1454 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BKV
Elevation of weather observation facility 80
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 23
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 985
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 6 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1615
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:40PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N183JD
NTSB Number MIA96LA003
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23
Aircraft Serial Number 23-81
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 5
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SOUTHWEST FLORIDA AIR INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1000 NORTH HERCULES
Aircraft Owner City CLEARWATER
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 34625
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code X05
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1450
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code X41
Destination City TAMPA
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 3700
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --