| Crash location | 26.733611°N, 81.048333°W |
| Nearest city | Clewiston, FL
26.754231°N, 80.933675°W 7.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N8404B |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 20 Apr 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Piper Pa 34-220T |
| Additional details: | None |
On April 20, 2018, about 1700 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-220T, N8404B, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a taxiway following a loss of directional control during takeoff from the Airglades Airport (2IS), Clewiston, Florida. The airline transport pilot and three passengers were not injured. The airplane was registered to GILU Corp, Middletown, Delaware, and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the cross-country flight, that originated from Lakeland, Florida, about 1550, with an intended destination of 2IS.
The pilot reported that following an uneventful flight, he intended to practice landings at 2IS. After entering the airport traffic pattern for runway 31, he extended his downwind leg, and ultimately initiated a go-around due to traffic on the runway. The pilot stated that he flew to the west in order to provide spacing between himself and the other traffic and reentered the traffic pattern on a mid-field left downwind for runway 31. Following an uneventful full-stop landing, the pilot taxied back to runway 31. After takeoff, the pilot remained within the airport traffic pattern and intended on conducting a touch-and-go landing. The pilot further stated that after landing on runway 31, he set the flaps and advanced both throttles to takeoff power. Shortly after, he felt the airplane yaw to the right, observed an over-boost indicator light for the right engine, and lost control of the rudder/steering as the airplane exited the runway.
The pilot said that once the airplane was in the grass, he regained control and reduced both engines to idle and attempted to stop the airplane. However, the airplane struck the edge of a taxiway that spanned perpendicular to his direction of travel and the airplane became airborne briefly before landing on the opposite side of the taxiway. Subsequently, all three landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright.
Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage and right wing were structurally damaged.