| Crash location | 28.291666°N, 81.438333°W |
| Nearest city | Kissimmee, FL
28.291956°N, 81.407571°W 1.9 miles away |
| Tail number | N230SW |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 13 Dec 2003 |
| Aircraft type | Piper PA-39 |
| Additional details: | None |
On December 13, 2003, at 1304 eastern standard time, a Piper Twin Comanche PA-39, N230SW, registered to Dolphin Sales and operated by Skyway Aircraft Inc., collided with an airport sign and taxiway light during an aborted takeoff from runway 15 at Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Kissimmee, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight planed filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The accident occurred during the attempted takeoff from Kissimmee, Florida, on December 13, 2003.
According to the pilot, with both engines up to take off rpm, and at 85 mph, the airplane lifted off the runway and immediately started to drift right. The pilot noticed the right engine had lost power and quit. Approximately 20 feet above the ground the airplane continued the right turn despite the pilot's efforts to correct the right drift. At this point, the pilot "chopped" the left engine power and landed the airplane on the right side of runway 15 in the grass. The airplane bounced over taxiway "B" and then hit a runway sign and a taxiway light. The airplane stopped in the grass near the intersection of taxiway "B" and runway 15. After a short conversation with the pilot, the Kissimmee Tower Controller cleared the flight to the Ranger Aviation Ramp.
The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed damage to the left wing and a severed left tip tank. The fuel selectors were found in the center position and there were a total of 14 gallons of fuel onboard. The engines were taken to Sunstate Aviation at Kissimmee Airport for further examination. The magneto checks were good and both engines were run for 20 minutes, up to a power setting of 2650 rpm. Both engines had no difficulty starting, going through power settings or maintaining maximum output power.
A review of performance data from the Pilot's Operating Handbook, revealed that the takeoff accelerate /stop distance is 2470 feet. Runway 15 is 6000 feet long by 100 feet wide. The airplane came to rest approximately 3400 feet from the departure end of the runway.
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control which resulted in a collision with terrain and obstacles following a loss of right engine power.