NTSB Factual Report

On July 12, 2001, about 1735 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N3054J, registered to Mrx Aviation Inc., operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 business flight, impacted with a light pole and seven vehicles during a forced landing on an interstate highway, shortly after departure from the Boca Raton Municipal Airport, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. An instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial-rated pilot, a passenger on the airplane, and about 12 people on the ground reported minor to no injuries. The flight had just departed and was en route to Sanford, Florida.

The pilot said he had landed at Boca Raton earlier in the day, conducted some business in the local area and was returning to Sanford when the accident occurred. He said he had put about 140 gallons of fuel on the aircraft at one of the fixed-base operators at the airport before departure.

The pilot said he had lifted off of runway 24, when the left engine lost power. He retracted the landing gear, and attempted to feather the left engine by cycling the propeller lever without success. At this point he could not maintain altitude or airspeed. He noted that he was low, and that the airspeed had decayed to 78 knots (83 was Vmc [minimum control speed]). He elected to land on Interstate Highway 95, before the airplane started a Vmc roll. He landed in a southerly direction on the northbound lanes of the highway, first striking a light pole with the left wing, and then seven vehicles. The airplane traveled in a southerly direction; gear up, for about 1/4 of a mile before coming to rest with the nose heading in a westerly direction.

According to the pilot's statement, as he started to taxi he positioned the fuel selectors to the "cross feed position" to test that the cross feed worked. After positioning in the run up area he said he "..…pulled the switches full forward to the 'on' position." He then completed a run-up, checked both engines and found that "all gauges were normal." In addition, during the pre-takeoff checklist he also "...visually and manually checked that the fuel selectors were in the on position." When cleared for takeoff he "made a normal take off," and nothing "unusual" occurred until shortly after putting the gear up, that is when "the left engine failed." He estimated that his altitude was "between 150-200 feet." The airplane yawed sharply to the left, and the left engine rpm fell "rapidly." The pilot said he checked that the mixture, propellers, and throttles were full forward, and that the fuel selector was on. He said, "..…I checked the fuel selectors by feel only." He applied right rudder, lowered the nose and attempted to feather the left engine. The left engine "did not feather," so he elected "not" to return to the airport, and attempt an emergency landing. He alerted the control tower, and turned toward the interstate "..…hopeful of finding a medium or clear area on the southbound lanes to land the airplane." He recycled the left engine feather control and made the decision to land gear up. After landing on the roadway the airplane traveled southbound before coming to a stop. The two occupants evacuated the airplane after the passenger said he was "in a puddle of fuel." The pilot stated that he undid his seatbelt then "...reached down and moved the fuel selectors back. They were full forward in the 'on' position. I missed the 'off' and mistakenly moved them to cross feed as I exited the airplane." When the NTSB IIC arrived at the crash site and observed the cockpit, the fuel selectors showed that both engine fuel selectors were in the "crossfeed" position.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol report, as the airplane approached the interstate the left wing struck an overhead light pole, causing the airplane to land on the northbound lanes instead of "…his intentions to land on the southbound lanes." The airplane impacted the roadway, and skidded on the inside lanes of the northbound lane for about 621 feet before coming to rest. Fuel was evident on the roadway after the wings separated, and the fuel tanks were breached.

The left engine was test run at the facilities of Certified Engines Inc., Opa Locka, Florida, on July 17, 2001. The engine was run up to 1700 rpm, the limits of the test stand, and no discrepancies were found (See the Continental Motor Engine Run Report, an attachment to this report). In addition, the FAA inspector stated that fuel was found in the left engine. The fuel was visually examined for contamination and water, none was observed.

According to the FAA inspector's statement, examination of the right engine revealed, compression and valve action on all cylinders, spark on both magnetos, fuel in the fuel line between the mechanical fuel pump and diverter valve, and turbo charger rotation. In addition he stated, "...the right propeller has substantial rotational damage...it appears that the right engine was operating normally."

NTSB Probable Cause

A loss of engine power, and the pilot unable to feather the propeller for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing on a highway, subsequent impact with a pole and vehicles.