Griffin Spalding Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Griffin, Georgia 30224
Friday, November 21, 2003 12:45 EST

According to the company's chief maintenance inspector, the purpose of the flight was to conduct a maintenance test flight of the airplane on recently installed equipment the pilot/ mechanic had just completed. Before engine start-up the pilot/ mechanic conducted a pre-flight of the airplane, and then taxied out to the ramp and ran the engine up to full rpm three consecutive times before the test flight. The pilot taxied to runway 32, and proceeded to add full power for take-off. As the airplane began to rotate for climb out the engines sounded like they began to "backfire". The engines continued to make this sound as it climbed out. The airplane climbed approximately 200 feet and the left wing pitch down. The airplane descended under the tree line and a "loud explosion" was heard. The airplane collided with a building a quarter mile from the departure end of runway 32. Post-accident examination of the cabin section, main fuselage, and wing assemblies revealed that they were fire damaged. All flight control and communication instruments were fire damaged. Post-accident examination of blades from both propeller assemblies revealed rotational scoring. Post-accident examination of the propellers revealed both propellers were rotating and not in the feathered position. There were no pre-impact mechanical anomalies noted with the propeller blades. Review of the maintenance work order revealed that a Shadin Digilfo-L fuel flow indicator and fuel flow transducers on the right and left engines were installed by the pilot/mechanic prior to the flight. Post-accident examination of left fuel flow transducer serial number 130436 revealed it was charred, and the inlet hose coupler was not as tight as the outlet hose coupler. Fuel was poured into the inlet side of the transducer, and the outlet flow was restricted. The fitting on the inlet side was removed and the inlet was inspected. Debris was found around the inlet orifice. . After removing the debris from the Fuel flow transducer, fuel was again poured into the inlet and fuel exited the outlet without restriction to flow. Post examination of the right fuel flow transducer serial number 130437 revealed it was intact with no visible damage, and both hose couplers were tight. Fuel was poured into the inlet side of the transducer, and the fuel exited the outlet side of the transducer without visible restriction to flow.

A loss of engine power due to the pilot's failure to follow the engine failure after liftoff emergency procedure to feather the left engine propeller resulting in a loss of control during climbout, and the subsequent collision with a commercial building. A factor was the fuel starvation of the left engine due to debris in the fuel line.