19990723009439A

Acft was on a maintenance check flight when it crashed shortly after take-off near the south end of the rwy, the 2 POB suffered fatal injuries, the acft was destroyed by fire, other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on July 23, 1999, at 1113 central daylight time, a smith Aerostar 601P twin-engine airplane, N345LS, impacted terrain following a loss of engine power during the takeoff climb from the Wiley Post Airport, near bethany, Oklahoma. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire. The instrument rated private pilot and his pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight destined for san angelo, Texas. The pilot had filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan for the trip; however, he did not open the flight plan at the time of departure. According to a pilot rated witness positioned on runway 17L, "the airplane's left engine was producing a black smoke during the takeoff roll." The witness stated that the airplane started to drift to the left after the takeoff roll. Shortly after takeoff, the WI itness heard the pilot transmit to the tower that "he had a problem." The witness stated that the pilot did not elaborate on the problem. Immediately after the radio call, the airplane appeared to "pitch nose high simultaneously yawing and rolling to the left." The witness reported that he saw the airplane roll over, nose down while turning and impact the ground. According to a second witness driving south on a street parallel to the runway, "the airplane's left engine was producing puffs of black smoke." The witness stated that "the exhaust was not in a steady stream like normal." Instead, the exhaust produced by the left engine was intermittent as if the "engine was missing or surging." The airplane came to rest on airport property in an open area alongside a steel i-beam storage area. The fuselage was destroyed by fire. (.4) during takeoff, the twin-engine airplane was observed to roll left, pitch nose down, and impact terrain shortly after the pilot reported to ATC that he had a problem. Witnesses reported that the left engine was producing black smoke during the takeoff roll. One witness stated that the airplane had slowed to approximately 60-70 mph prior to rolling to the left. A mechanic, who worked on the airplane prior to the accident, stated that the pilot reported being unable to maintain manifold pressure (mp) with the left engine. The mechanic found that the left engine's rubber interconnect boot, which routes induction air between the turbocharger controller elbow and the fuel servo, was 'gaping open.' The mechanic reseated the boot and tightened the clamp. The pilot flew the airplane and reported no problems. During a second flight, the pilot reported that the left engine was again unable to maintain mp. Prior to the accident flight, the pilot informed the mechanic that the 'hose had slid off again' and that it had been reinstalled and he 'felt sure it was o.k.' a witness stated that he saw the pilot working on the left engine the morning of the accident. At the accident site, the left engine's interconnect boot was found disconnected. The clamp securing the boot was not located. No other pre-impact anomalies were found with the engines, propellers, turbochargers, or fuel servos. (-23) a smith Aerostar 601P twin-engine airplane, N345LS, departed runway 17L. The airplane's left engine was reported producing black smoke during the takeoff roll. The airplane drifted to the left after takeoff. It was reported that the pilot transmitted to the tower that "he had a problem." Immediately after the radio call, the airplane appeared to "pitch nose high and yawing and rolling to the left." The witness reported that he saw the airplane roll over, nose down while turning the impact the ground. The fuselage was destroyed by fire.