NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 6, 2003, at 1420 eastern daylight time, a Beech BE-55, N62JF, registered to Gwinnett Plane Leasing, Inc., operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with trees while attempting to return to the Winder Barrow Airport, Winder, Georgia. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed and there was a post crash fire. The private pilot was fatally injured. The flight originated from Winder, Georgia, at 1419 on September 6, 2003.

A pilot waiting for takeoff behind the accident airplane stated the accident pilot departed from runway 05 and became airborne past taxiway "C" intersection. The airplane reached about 10 feet when the nose dropped down abruptly to the right and the right main landing gear touched down on the runway followed by tire smoke. He observed a dark shape on the right side of the airplane and figured the cockpit door had opened. The airplane bounced back into the air and went to the right over the grass. The pilot regained control of the airplane. The airplane remained between 20 to 50 feet and slowly cleared a tree line beyond the end of the runway. The airplane started a shallow crosswind turn to the left, nose high at a slow airspeed. He called the pilot on the UNICOM frequency and asked the pilot if he was ok. The pilot stated, "I got problems and I am going to make an emergency landing." The pilot came back on the radio again and stated, "I am not going to make it." The witness pilot stated he lost sight of the airplane and observed smoke come up above the tree line a short time later.

Two witnesses located in the immediate vicinity of the crash site stated they heard an airplane approaching their location. The airplane engine or engines were making an unusual sound described as a loud noise. One witness stated the airplane was between 100 to 150 feet above the ground. The airplane made a steep left bank estimated between 40 to 45 degrees angle of bank. The airplane hit a tree, rolled to the left, pitched nose down, hit a power line and collided with the ground. The airplane continued to roll and slide to the left before it came to rest inverted, and caught on fire. One witness stated he ran over to the airplane located in his front yard and tried to gain entry to remove the pilot. The fire and smoke prevented him from assisting the pilot.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate on May 19, 1998, with ratings for airplane multiengine engine land, airplane single engine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a third class medical issued on March 6, 2003 with no limitations. The pilot's last biennial flight review was conducted on June 14, 2003.The pilot wrote on his application for the third class certificate that he had accumulated 900 total flight hours. According to a representative from Nation Air Insurance Agency, Lawrenceville, Georgia, the pilot completed an application for insurance on January 2, 2003. The pilot reported he had 890.9 total flight hours with 220 hours in make and model, and 224 multiengine hours. The pilot had 643 total hours in retractable airplanes. The pilot had flown 39 hours in the last 12 months, and 16 hours in the last 90 days. A pilot logbook was located in the wreckage. The last entry in the logbook was May 22, 1994.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane logbooks were not located at the crash site. According to the deceased pilot's partner the aircraft records were in the airplane that was destroyed by a post crash fire. Review of a Work Order No.19300 from Georgia Avionics Inc., Winder, Georgia, showed an Apollo CNX80 GPS was installed on the airplane on September 4, 2003.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Winder Barrows Airport, Winder, Georgia. The 1416 surface weather observation was: clear, visibility 10 miles, temperature 75 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 63 degrees Fahrenheit, wind 050-degrees at 6 knots, and altimeter 30.09.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The Winder Barrow Airport Runway 05 is 3,610 feet in length and 100 feet wide. The displaced threshold hold begins 992 feet 6 inches from the approach end of the runway. Examination of the runway revealed the right main landing gear touched down on the runway 1,533 feet from the displaced threshold. The nose wheel tire touched down 1,537 feet from the displaced threshold. The left main landing gear touched down 1,545 feet from the displaced threshold. All tire marks were adjacent to taxiway E. Fourteen propeller blade marks were present on the runway. The first propeller blade strike was located 1,568 feet 5 inches from the displaced threshold. The distance between the first and second propeller strike on the runway measured 15 inches. The distance between the 13th and 14th strike mark measured 20 inches. An Apollo CNX80 Quick Reference Guide was located on the runway edge between the propeller strike marks and taxiway E. The runway remaining from the first propeller strike was 1,978 feet 9 inches.

The wreckage was located in the front yard of a residence at 791, Georgia Highway 82 in the vicinity of Winder, Georgia. The airplane was located about one-half mile north northeast of Winder Barrows Airport.

Examination of the crash site revealed a tree located in the front yard of a residence located at 807 Georgia Highway 82 was damaged. Tree branches in the immediate vicinity exhibited 45-degree "V" cuts. The left wing of the airplane was separated and located 30 feet 4-inches down the debris line. The left flap separated and was located 52 feet 10-inches down the debris line. A power line that crossed Highway 82 was separated 63 feet 8-inches down the debris line. The right wing tip collided with the ground 166 feet 6-inches down the debris line and 13 feet 6-inches south of Highway 82.The right propeller assembly separated from the right engine and was found 173 feet 1-inch down the debris line. Three left propeller strikes were present on Highway 82, 176 feet 8-inches, 180 feet 3-inches, and 184 feet, 1-inch down the debris line. The left propeller separated from the right engine. Browning and scorching of trees was present on trees on the south side of Highway 82, and on the asphalt surface of the highway. The nose cone separated and was 245 feet 5-inches down the debris line. The nose landing gear separated and was located 264 feet 4-inches down the debris line. The airplane came to rest inverted in the front yard of a residence located at 791 Highway 82 on a heading of 315-degrees magnetic. The crash debris line extended 296 feet 1-inch.

Examination of the crash site revealed the nose section was fire damaged from the nose cone to the aft end of the passenger compartment. The cabin door received fire damage. The interior door handle was pointing in the 10 o'clock position. The upper door latch hook was intact and extended. The upper latch hook receptacle was not damaged. The aft door-latching bolt was extended 9/16". In the fully closed position the latch bolt would be protruding 7/8" as compared to a Beechcraft Bonanza BE-35 cabin door. The external cabin door handle was protruding 7/16" from the stowed or closed position. The aft door latch bolt striker plate was not located. The nose gear was extended. The nose gear and the trunnion mount bulkhead were separated from the fuselage. The flight control cables were intact from the control column down to a location below the floorboards under the pilot's feet.

The right wing was inverted and located next to the fuselage. The wing attachment bolts and fittings were intact. The right main fuel tank and auxiliary fuel tank were ruptured and fire damaged. The right wing flap was attached to the rear spar and in the retracted position. The right flap actuator was fire damaged. The right main landing gear was extended. The aileron flight control cables were intact from the aileron bell crank inboard to the fuselage center section. The right engine was attached to the engine mount on the right wing engine nacelle.

The right propeller assembly separated from the crankshaft at the base of the crankshaft flange. The fractured engine crankshaft was retained in the spinner bulkhead. The spinner dome was crushed and fragmented and the spinner bulkhead was bent and torn. The pitch change mechanism was seized and cycling of the mechanism was not attempted. One dowel pin and one fractured mounting bolt remained in the propeller-mounting flange. The engine crankshaft was fractured adjacent to the propeller flange and had torsional cracks. One propeller blade clamp had turned about 30-degrees towards low pitch. The remaining two blade clamps did not rotate in the clamps. The propeller cylinder and piston were intact. The spring assembly was damaged and prevented disassembly. The low pitch stops and feather stops were intact. The start locks on one propeller blade was jammed in the outer high rpm position. Another propeller start lock pin was loose and separated, and the remaining start lock pin was missing. All three springs were missing. All three-start lock plates were intact, undamaged, and attached to the bottom of the blade clamps. All three-link arms were intact. The three blade clamps, counterweights, and link screws were intact. During disassembly it was noted that there was no grease on the blade bearings of any of the blades. The pilot tube bearings were lubricated but grease was missing from the ball bearings. The hub mounting flange and cylinder attachment were not damaged. Two of the propeller blades could not be removed from the hub due to bent pilot tubes. One propeller blade displayed rotational scoring on one side and deep gouges were present on the flat side about 5 to 12 inches from the butt end. The outer 1/3 of the blade was curled aft and twisted towards low pitch, and scoring was present on the camber side. Spanwise scoring was present in the paint on the flat side. Another propeller blade was bent aft with a large radius bend, which started at 1/3 radius. Rotational scoring was present in the paint on the camber side and paint was missing on the outer 3/4 of the propeller blade. The tip was curled aft and twisted toward low pitch. The remaining propeller blade tip was curled aft and twisted towards low pitch. Scoring was present on the camber side.

The flight control cables from the rudder and elevator bell crank were intact from the rudder and elevator bell cranks forward to the rudder pedals. The elevator cables were pinched and separated under the rudder pedals. The rudder cables were intact extending aft to the rudder bell crank, which was fire damaged.

The empennage was inverted and resting on its top left side. No in-flight trailing smoke or fire damage was present on the empennage. The left and right horizontal stabilizers were intact and attached to the empennage. Both the left and right elevators were attached at the hinge points to their respective stabilizers. The right elevator exhibited impact damage at the outboard tip. The right elevator counter weight and trim tab was attached.

The left elevator was attached to the stabilizer hinge points and received impact damage to the top surface of the elevator. The left elevator was separated from the left bell crank torque tube. The elevator was split in two sections at the outboard end of the elevator trim tab. The left elevator counter weight was attached to the elevator. The left elevator trim tab was attached at the elevator hinge points.

The vertical stabilizer was attached to the top of the empennage. The left side of the vertical stabilizer exhibited vortex generators along the left side of the rear spar of the vertical stabilizer. The top 12 inches of the vertical stabilizer was crushed down.

The rudder was attached to the three rudder hinges on the vertical stabilizer. The top 15 inches of the rudder was crushed down. The rudder counter weight was intact. The top 10-inches of the rudder trim tab was bent left 45-degrees. All empennage trim tabs were attached at their respective control rods.

The left inboard half of the left wing was located next to the fuselage. The wing attachment bolts and fittings were intact. The left wing outboard half of the left wing separated at the outboard end of the left flap. A 9-inch diameter tree impact indentation was present on the leading edge of the wing on the outboard side of the left engine nacelle. The indentation of the wing was compressed aft through the front spar rearward 36-inches. The left engine was attached to the engine mount on the left engine nacelle. The left main fuel tank and auxiliary fuel tank were ruptured. The left main landing gear was extended. The left flap actuator was measured and revealed the left flap was in the retracted position. The left aileron cables were pulled out of the left wing and were separated at the left aileron bell crank. The left aileron was attached to the left wing hinge points. The left aileron trim tab drive chain was separated from the actuator drive sprocket.

The left propeller separated from the engine. Two propeller blades were at a low pitch position and the third propeller blade was at a higher blade angle. There was significant crushing damage in the piston/cylinder area. The spinner dome was crushed, torn, and the spinner bulkhead was dented. The pitch change mechanism was damaged and cycling of the mechanism was not possible. The propeller-mounting flange was intact however, the engine crankshaft was fractured 2-3/8 inches aft of the flange. None of the three propeller blades had rotated in their blade clamps. The propeller cylinder was crushed and the piston was fractured into multiple pieces. The spring assembly could not be disassembled due to impact damage. The low pitch stops were intact and not damaged. The feather stops received impact damage. All three start locks were intact and operable. One link arm was not damaged. Another link arm was bent and the remaining link arm was fire damaged. All three blade clamps, counterweights, and link screws were intact. During disassembly it was noted that no grease was present on two propellers blade bearings. The pilot tube bearings were lubricated but grease was missing on the ball bearings. Three balance weights attached to the outboard side of the blade clamp had very little thread engagement from the two attaching screws. The hub mounting flange and cylinder attachment were not damaged. The hub pilot tube from one blade was fractured, and the fractured portion was retained inside the blade. One propeller blade received leading edge damage with rotational scoring on the camber side. The blade was bent aft 6 inches from the tip and bent forward about 3 inches from the tip, and the propeller blade was twisted towards low pitch. The two remaining propeller blades received leading edge damage with rotational scoring on the camber side and were bent aft.

The left engine was disassembled and examined. No anomalies were noted with engine driven fuel pump, oil pump, fuel manifold valve, line, and fuel nozzles. The fuel manifold valve was disassembled, the diaphragm was intact and the fuel screen was free of contaminants. The oil sump received impact damage and contained about two quarts of oil. No debris was presenting the sump. Both crankcase halves were intact and no evidence of fretting was present. Crankshaft continuity was confirmed by separating the crankcase. The propeller-mounting flange was separated from the crankshaft. The crankshaft main bearing journals were intact. The bearing journal was coated with oil and the oil passageways were clear and unobstructed. The connecting rods were intact, and the crankshaft counterweights were free and unrestricted. No smearing or distress was present on the main bearing babbitts. The camshaft, end gear, and lifter faces were intact. All cylinders were intact, the cylinder domes exhibited normal combustion deposits, and home marks were visible in the cylinder bores. Both magnetos and ignition harness received post impact fire damage. Both magnetos produced spark at

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's inadequate preflight preparation in which he failed to secure the cabin door which diverted his attention and resulted in the failure to maintain directional control.