The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida
Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, Florida
Lycoming Engines; Dallas, Texas
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Orlando, Florida
Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, Florida
Lycoming Engines; Dallas, Texas
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board:
Location: Palatka, Florida
Accident Number: ERA18FA200
Date & Time: July 25, 2018, 20:07 Local
Registration: N6427P
Aircraft: Piper PA24
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Aerodynamic stall/spin
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Analysis
The accident flight was the private pilot's second solo flight in the accident airplane, which he had purchased and had first flown 13 days before the accident. A witness standing near the departure end of the runway stated that the pilot held the airplane's brakes while advancing the engine to full power, and he believed that the pilot was going to perform a short-field takeoff. As the airplane accelerated down the runway, the nosewheel lifted off then touched down again before the airplane rotated off the runway and began to climb. The witness further stated that he thought that the pilot had rotated the airplane "early," as the airplane appeared slow. The airplane's angle of climb continued to increase until, about 150 ft above ground level, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall and spiraled to the ground.
Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation. Between the time of purchase and the accident flight, the pilot logged about 15 hours of flight instruction in the airplane; logbook remarks indicated that, during those flights, the pilot had received instruction in normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings. Autopsy and toxicology testing of the pilot identified no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation. The lack of mechanical anomalies, the witness statement, and the surveillance video footage are consistent with the pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a subsequent loss of control.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a loss of control.
Findings
Personnel issues Aircraft control - Pilot
Aircraft Angle of attack - Not attained/maintained
Factual Information
HISTORY OF FLIGHT
On July 26, 2018, about 2007 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6427P, was destroyed when it impacted the ground during the initial climb after takeoff from Palatka Municipal Airport (28J), Palatka, Florida. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight.
A witness was standing in his hangar about 200 yards from the end of runway 17 when he heard the accident airplane beginning its takeoff. He noticed that the airplane's brakes were engaged while the engine was at full throttle and he believed that the pilot was going to perform a short-field takeoff. As the airplane rolled down the runway, it's nosewheel lifted off the ground then touched down again before the airplane became airborne. The witness thought that the pilot rotated the airplane "early," as the airplane appeared slow. He added that the airplane kept climbing "steeper and steeper" and that the pilot did not lower the nose to gain airspeed. When the airplane was about 150 ft above ground level, it
entered a stall and the left wing dropped; the airplane spiraled to the ground. The witness further stated that the engine was operating at full power during the entire flight.
An airport security video at 28J showed the airplane immediately after takeoff as it climbed to about 150 ft; the airplane's left wing dropped and the airplane spiraled to the ground, consistent with the witness' account.
PERSONNEL INFORMATION
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He was operating under the provisions of the BasicMed; his most recent physical exam was completed on July 14, 2018. According to the pilot's logbook, he had a total of 704.4 hours of flight experience. The accident flight was the pilot's second solo flight in the airplane. The pilot purchased the airplane 13 days before the accident; since purchase, the pilot had logged 15.1 hours of flight instruction in the airplane. Logbook remarks indicated that, during those flights, the pilot had received instruction in normal and crosswind takeoffs and landings, approach and departure stalls, and simulated engine failures.
AIRCRAFT INFORMATION
The four seat, low-wing, tricycle gear airplane was manufactured in 1959. It was powered by a Lycoming O-540-A1C5, 250-horsepower engine equipped with a three-bladed McCauley propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on July 12, 2018. At the time of the accident, the airframe total time was 3,435.73 hours (13.73 hours since the annual inspection) and the engine had accrued 1,268 hours since major overhaul.
METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION
At 2015, the recorded weather at 28J included wind from 180° at 5 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, temperature 27°C, dew point 26°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury.
WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION
The wreckage was located about 60 ft to the left of and about halfway down the length of runway 17, which measured 3,510 ft long. The wreckage came to rest on a magnetic heading of 270°. The propeller was fractured from the engine and buried about 2 ft into the ground. The engine was displaced into the instrument panel and cockpit. The landing gear was extended, and the wing flaps were retracted. Both wings exhibited accordion-like crushing on the leading edges. Flight control cable continuity was established from the cockpit to all flight controls. The stabilator trim control was fragmented and the trim position could not be verified. Both pitch and trim servos rotated freely, and the clutch was not engaged. The fuselage was crushed, and the empennage was bent over top of the cabin. The vertical stabilizer, rudder, and elevator were not damaged.
The engine was removed from the airframe for further examination. The top spark plugs were removed, and a lighted borescope was used to look inside the cylinders. All valves and pistons showed normal wear. Thumb compression was confirmed on all cylinders. Drivetrain continuity was established through the engine and accessory case by rotating the propeller flange and observing the movement of the gears. Both magnetos were removed and turned by hand. All leads sparked to ground.
MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION
An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Office of the Medical Examiner, St. Augustine, Florida. The report listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma.
Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for drugs and alcohol.
History of Flight
Initial climb Aerodynamic stall/spin (Defining event)
Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 44,Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used: Unknown
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: No
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: BasicMed
Last FAA Medical Exam: July 14, 2018
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: July 16, 2018
Flight Time: 704.4 hours (Total, all aircraft), 15.1 hours (Total, this make and model), 660.5 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft), 38 hours (Last 90 days, all aircraft), 15.1 hours (Last 30 days, all aircraft)
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N6427P
Model/Series: PA24 250
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture: 1959
Amateur Built: No
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 24-1537
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: July 12, 2018 Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 2899 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 14 Hrs
Engines: 1 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 3422 Hrs as of last inspection
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: C91 installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: O-540 SERIES
Registered Owner:
Rated Power: 250 Horsepower
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual (VMC)
Condition of Light: Dusk
Observation Facility, Elevation: 28J,47 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 20:15 Local
Direction from Accident Site: 0°
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility 10 miles
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: 5 knots /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction: 180°
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 29.97 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 26°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Palatka, FL (28J)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Palatka, FL (28J)
Type of Clearance: None
Departure Time: 20:07 Local
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Palatka Muni - Lt Kay Larkin F 28J
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 47 ft msl
Runway Surface Condition: Dry
Runway Used: 17
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 3510 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing: None
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 29.656389,-81.688613(est)
==========
Location: Palatka, FL
Accident Number: ERA18FA200
Date & Time: 07/26/2018, 2007 EDT
Registration: N6427P
Aircraft: Piper PA24
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Personal
On July 26, 2018, about 2007 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, N6427P, was destroyed when it impacted the ground during the initial climb after takeoff from Palatka Municipal Airport (28J), Palatka, Florida. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
A witness was standing in his hangar about 200 yards from the end of runway 17, when he heard an airplane's engine rev-up. He then noticed that the airplane's brakes were engaged while the engine was at full throttle. He believed the pilot was going to perform a soft field or short field takeoff. As the airplane rolled down the runway, the front wheel lifted off the ground then went back down for a few seconds, then the pilot rotated the airplane and it lifted off the ground. He further stated the pilot rotated early as the airplane was slow at that point. He added that the airplane kept climbing "steeper and steeper" and the pilot did not lower the nose to gain airspeed. When the airplane was about 150 ft above ground level, it "stalled, and the left wing drop down and spiraled to the ground." The witness further stated that the engine was running at full power during the entire flight.
An airport security video at 28J showed the airplane immediately after takeoff as it climbed to about 150 ft. The video then showed the airplane's left-wing drop and the airplane spiral to the ground.
The wreckage was located about 60 ft to the left side of midfield runway 17, which was a 3,510-ft-long runway. The wreckage came to rest on a heading of 270°. The propeller was fractured from the engine and located 2 ft into the ground. The engine was displaced into the instrument panel and cockpit. The landing gear was extended, and the flaps were retracted. Both wings exhibited accordion crushing on the leading edges. Flight control cable continuity was established to all flight controls. The stabilator trim control was fragmented and the trim position could not be verified. Both pitch and trim servos rotated freely, and the clutch was not engaged. The fuselage was crushed, and the tail was bent over top of the cabin. The vertical stabilizer, rudder and elevator were not damaged.
The engine was removed from the airframe for further examination. The top spark plugs were removed and a lighted borescope was used to look inside the cylinders. All valves and pistons showed normal wear. Thumb compression was confirmed on all cylinders. Drive train continuity was established through the engine and accessory case by rotating the propeller flange and observing the movement of the gears. Both magnetos were removed and turned by hand. All leads sparked to ground.
The four seat, low-wing, tricycle gear airplane, was manufactured in 1959. It was powered by a Lycoming O-540-A1C5, 250-horsepower engine, equipped with a three-bladed McCauley propeller. The last annual inspection was completed on July 12, 2018. At the time of the accident, the airframe total time was 3,435.73 hours which was 13.73 hours since the annual inspection, and the engine had accrued 1,268 hours since major overhaul.
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He held a basic medical certificate, issued July 14, 2018. According to the pilot's logbook, he had a total of 704.4 hours of flight experience. He had a total of 15.1 hours in the same make and model as the accident airplane; of which, 12.6 was logged as dual instruction. The accident flight was the pilot's second flight in the airplane without a flight instructor.
At 2015, the recorded weather at 28J, was: wind from 180° at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; temperature 27° C; dew point 26° C; altimeter 29.98 inches mercury.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: Piper
Registration: N6427P
Model/Series: PA24 250
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: No
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light: Dusk
Observation Facility, Elevation: 28J, 47 ft msl
Observation Time: 2015 EDT
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 27°C / 26°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 5 knots / , 180°
Lowest Ceiling: None
Visibility: 10 Miles
Altimeter Setting: 29.98 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Palatka, FL (28J)
Destination:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: 1 Fatal
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 29.656389, -81.688611 (est)
Kimberly and David Niblett
Dan Boggs, Investigator In ChargeNational Transportation Safety Board
PALATKA, Fla. - A married couple from Alachua County died Thursday night when their small plane crashed in Palatka, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
The Piper PA-24 aircraft crashed upon takeoff just before 8:30 p.m. at Palatka-Kay Larkin Airport on Reid Street, near County Road 216.
On Friday morning, the FHP identified the victims as David Niblett and Kimberly Niblett, both 44, of Archer.
Warren Cilliers, of Cilliers Aviation, witnessed the crash and described the terrifying scene, saying the aircraft tried to do a short takeoff.
"The nose came up, but the aircraft did not lift off the ground until a few seconds later," Cilliers said. "It was going super slow, and it was really close to a stall, and I was expecting the nose to come down for them to pick up speed, but it never did as it was climbing up."
Cilliers said the angle of the plane's ascent kept getting steeper until the left wing stalled about 100 or 150 feet in the air.
"He went into a spiral and crashing to the ground," Cilliers said. "It is something that you never want to see."
He said it was very loud as the plane came down but after the impact, "it got very quiet."
He said it was immediately clear that no one could have survived the crash, but he called 911 and ran over to the crash to see if "by some miracle somebody survived."
But, Cilliers said, no one responded to his calls.
"It was very silent," he said. "There was no movement at all."
Airport manager John Youell said Palatka emergency responders were on scene immediately, but the couple coudn't be saved.
"I’m very proud of the first responders," Youell said. "If there’s a better emergency response team, I’d be amazed."
NTSB investigates
The National Transportation Safety Board arrived Friday to take over the investigation. NTSB spokesman Dan Boggs said weather was not a factor and David Niblett's family said he was an experienced pilot.
The airport manager said the couple flew in from Gainesville and were stopping for fuel. Authorities said as part of the investigation, the airport has a hold on the fuel so it can be inspected, which is protocol.
Over the next two days, federal investigators will remove the wreckage, then examine all systems: fuel, mechanical, electrical and the wing flaps.
Until the wreckage is cleared, one runway will remain closed.
The plane was manufactured in 1959 and the NTSB said it was well-maintained. No flight plan was filed.
The preliminary crash report is expected to be posted in two weeks. But aviation expert Ed Booth said it could take a year and half to two years before there are definitive answers.
"Palatka is a very busy airport with a lot of recreational flying. Recreational flying, of course, isn't as safe as airline travel," Booth said.
Booth said the investigators will be busy from the start as they look at many possibilities.
"They will look into the pilot's background, how the aircraft was loaded, whether the pilot had any sort of substances in his system," Booth said. "It's standard protocol that the NTSB goes through in every airplane crash like this."
3rd crash at airport this year
The NTSB said investigators were aware of two other crashes at Kay Larkin Airport.
News4Jax covered a March 6 crash when two people were hurt when their seaplane struck a tree, power line and home on Reid Street on approach to the airport. Ten days later, two planes crashed attempting to land at the same time. No one was injured in that incident.
"There’s no common thread among the accident," Youell said. "One ran out of gas, two, another plane landed on top of another. And now this one. There’s just no common thread."
Kay Larkin is what is known as an uncontrolled airport, meaning there's no control tower. Pilots can land, day or night, without coordinating with anyone on the ground.
Yet people who use the airport regularly feel it's safe.
"I come here pretty much every weekend," Cindy Gicala said. "I’m one of the skydive instructors at Skydive Palatka. I’m pretty much here all the time."
Gicala said that while she’s aware of the other crashes over the last five years, she’s never seen a safety issue at the airport.
Federal aviation authorities said they review safety trends at airports regularly, and the history of Palatka's airport would be part of this investigation.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.news4jax.com
Married couple David and Kimberly Niblett from Alachua County died in a plane crash at a Palatka airport Thursday night.
The crash happened at Palatka-Kay Larkin Airport located at 4015 Reid Street.
The Florida Highway Patrol said the plane was a single-engine aircraft.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane was attempting to take off when it crashed in the grass on the left side of Runway 17.
According to a FHP report, a man and woman died on scene.
Airport authorities told Action News Jax the victims were a married couple in their mid-40s and who flew in from Gainesville. They said the couple stopped for fuel and took off immediately before crashing upon takeoff.
There have been four other plane incidents near this airport already this year.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.actionnewsjax.com
A married couple died after a small airplane crashed on the runway at the Palatka Municipal Airport Airport Thursday evening, the Palatka Airport manager confirmed to First Coast News.
The couple has been identified as David and Kimberly Niblett, both 44.
The manager said they stopped briefly at the airport to get fuel for their plane, then departed after.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, a single-engine aircraft crashed during takeoff and the two were pronounced dead on the scene by Putnam Co. Fire Rescue.
On Friday, the NTSB arrived to investigate. The woman's father also arrived at the airport to get more information from investigators, First Coast News was told.
Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.firstcoastnews.com
Just saw this youtube video which surmised that the seat broke lose and slid back and this pilot held onto the yoke. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SWfOWuKaH0 But in this kathrynsreport is states that the guy at the hangar said the brakes were on or something. Anyone know anything that could clear this up?
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