NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 23, 2004 at 1135 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N9578C, registered to and operated by Pompano Senior Squadron Flying Club, collided with a building during climb out from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The round-trip personal international flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot, rear-seated passenger was fatally injured, and the forward seated passenger was seriously injured. The flight originated from Pompano Beach Airpark, Pompano, Florida on June 23, 2004 at 0800.

Review of air traffic control records revealed at 0619, the pilot obtained a preflight briefing for a VFR flight from Pompano, Florida to Treasure Cay, Bahamas. Records showed the pilot filed VFR flight plans from Pompano, Florida to Treasure Cay, Bahamas and from Treasure Cay, Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale Executive, Florida. At 0800, the pilot called the Miami Automated Flight Service Station and activated his VFR flight plan from Pompano, Florida to Treasure Cay, Bahamas. At 1003, the pilot called the Miami Automated Flight Service Station and activated his flight plan from Treasure Cay, Bahamas to Fort Lauderdale Executive, Florida. At 1117, the flight arrived at the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport for the purpose of clearing U.S. Customs before proceeding on to Pompano Beach, Florida.

At 1133, the Fort Lauderdale control tower cleared the private pilot for takeoff on runway13. During climb-out, at approximately 500 feet, the pilot radioed a 'MAYDAY MAYDAY" distress call. According to witnesses on the ground as the airplane climbed out the engine began to make a "sputtering noise" and then stopped. The airplane was observed in a left turn, by the tower controller, and descended out of sight. The pilot made no other radio transmissions. The airplane collided into the roof of the commercial building about 1/2 mile from the departure end of the runway.

PILOT INFORMATION

Review of pilot records revealed the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate on August 22, 1994, with ratings for airplane single engine land. Review of medical records revealed the pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued on March 17, 2004, valid when wearing corrective lenses during flight. Review of the pilot's logbook indicated that the pilot accumulated a total of 199 flight hours.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Review of maintenance records revealed that the last recorded annual inspection was conducted on October 1, 2003.The tachometer time was recorded at 3605.4 hours, and the tachometer time at the crash site was 3833.4 hours. Review of the maintenance logbooks indicated that the last recorded altimeter, static, and transponder system checks were completed on September 16, 2002.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport reported at 1133 surface weather observation was: few clouds at 3500, scattered at 15000, visibility 10 statue miles, temperature 31 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 24 degrees Fahrenheit, wind 130-degrees at 9 knots, and altimeter 30.15.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Examination of the wreckage site revealed the airplane rested a ½ mile from the departure end of runway 13 in a nose down attitude, on a rooftop of a commercial building. All flight control surfaces, and components were accounted for and identified at the wreckage site. The left and right wing assemblies were separated from the fuselage at the wing roots. The fuel tanks were breached and no traces of fuel were found throughout the site area. The empennage section of the airplane was separated from the fuselage and buckled. The engine was crushed against the firewall, and damaged. The cockpit section and instrument panel were crushed.

Examination of the left wing revealed, the aileron control cables were secure to the aileron bell crank. The control cables were separated forward of the spar in the forward fuselage. The flap mechanism was broken and separated. The fuel tank had compression damage to the leading edge and the tank was breached. There was no hydraulic type damage noted to the tank. The landing gear remained secure to the wing.

Examination of the right wing revealed it was separated from the fuselage at the wing root. A portion of the outboard flap section remained with the wing. The remaining section was found attached to an inboard section of upper wing skin that had also separated from the wing. The aileron was separated from the wing, and the landing gear was separated from the wing. Compression damage was along the full span of the wing. The fuel tank was breached and displayed no evidence of hydraulic type damage. The aileron control cables remained secure and were cut for recovery.

Examination of the empennage revealed was separated from the fuselage, and all control cables remained attached and were cut for recovery. Both the vertical stabilizer as well as the horizontal stabilator remained attached but displayed crush damage. The rudder was also in place. All hinge and stop bolts were in place and secure. The pitch trim setting was approximately 2 degrees nose up trim.

Examination of the fuselage revealed it was damaged and was separated in three pieces. The front portion with the engine, firewall, instrument panel and front seats, the center section with the rear seats, baggage area and rear fuselage and the empennage section. The propeller remained attached to the engine but the engine was separated from the firewall. The instrument panel was crush damaged and some of the instruments and radios were separated from the panel. Flight control wheels were separated from the 'T' bar and the aileron chain was broken. Both the trim and roll autopilot servos were recovered and examined. The autopilot mode selector was in the off position. No airframe anomalies were noted during the investigation.

Examination of the engine revealed compression, suction and valve train continuity on all cylinders as well as accessory gear rotation. Spark was obtained from all towers of both magnetos. Disassembly of the carburetor found no fuel in the bowl or in the acceleration pump. No fuel was noted in the engine driven fuel pump and only a trace amount was found in the fuel lines. The gascolator was crush damaged and the bowl was separated. The fuel boost pump was teardown and no blockage of the filter was noted. A trace amount of fuel was found inside the pump. There were no noted engine anomalies noted during the examination.

Examination of the propeller revealed it remained partially attached to the engine. Both blades were bent aft and displayed chordwise surface scratches on the outboard ends of the blades as well as span wise scratches near where they were bent aft. No propeller anomalies were noted during the examination.

PATHALOGICAL INFORMATION

The Office of the medical examiner, District 17-Broward County, Florida, pronounced the pilot's cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma on June 23, 2004 at 1140. The postmortem toxicology of specimens from the pilot was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, drugs and alcohol.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Review of the airplane flight log records revealed that the airplane was flown on June 21, 2004, and fuel records showed that the airplane was last fueled with 34.6 gallons of 100LL. Records also reveled that the airplane was flown on June 22, 2004 for 2.9 hours with no record of refueling. Prior to the accident flight on June 23, 2004 the airplane was refueled with 16 gallons of 100LL. The tachometer log check out time was 3830.5 hours, and 3833.4 hours at the accident site.

The wreckage of N9578C was released to CTC Services Aviation on March 16, 2005.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning which resulted in the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot's failure to maintain flying speed which resulted in an inadvertent stall, and the subsequent collision with a building.