What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On the 17 August 2009 at 1448, Mr. Armor departed rwy 21L at kprc when the PA24-180 he was flying struck the ground killing both people on board. According to eye witness statements, upon departure from rwy 21L the airplane climbed to 150 ft approx 4000 ft down the runway. The landing gear was retracted and the airplane started a shallow left bank to a heading of 120 degrees. The track was parallel to and on the south side of rwy 12/30. On this heading, the airplane was seen pitching up and down rapidly. It was also noted, before the left turn and for the rest of the flight, the aircraft was very slow and had a hight angle of attack. Mr. Armor then made his last radio call to the tower "comanche zero four papa has to come back". ATC cleared the aircraft to land on rwy 30. Rwy 30 is 180 degrees from the direction of travl and was the runway nearest the aircrft. The aircraft then banked again to the left and descended until it impacted the ground approx 500 ft to the north east of the approach end of runway 30. Records show the pilot had topped both wing tanks with fuel prior to departure. Both people in the aircraft weighted approximately 200 lbs and the density altitude was 7900 ft.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON THE 17 AUGUST 2009 AT 1448, MR. ARMOR DEPARTED RWY 21L AT KPRC WHEN THE PA24-180 HE WAS FLYING STRUCK THE GROUND KILLING BOTH PEOPLE ON BOARD. ACCORDING TO EYE WITNESS STATEMENTS, UPON DEPARTURE FROM RWY 21L THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO 150 FT APPROX 4000 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE LANDING GEAR WAS RETRACTED AND THE AIRPLANE STARTED A SHALLOW LEFT BANK TO A HEADING OF 120 DEGREES. THE TRACK WAS PARALLEL TO AND ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF RWY 12/30. ON THIS HEADING, THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN PITCHING UP AND DOWN RAPIDLY. IT WAS ALSO NOTED, BEFORE THE LEFT TURN AND FOR THE REST OF THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS VERY SLOW AND HAD A HIGHT ANGLE OF ATTACK. MR. ARMOR THEN MADE HIS LAST RADIO CALL TO THE TOWER "COMANCHE ZERO FOUR PAPA HAS TO COME BACK". ATC CLEARED THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND ON RWY 30. RWY 30 IS 180 DEGREES FROM THE DIRECTION OF TRAVL AND WAS THE RUNWAY NEAREST THE AIRCRFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN BANKED AGAIN TO THE LEFT AND DESCENDED UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROX 500 FT TO THE NORTH EAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 30. RECORDS SHOW THE PILOT HAD TOPPED BOTH WING TANKS WITH FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. BOTH PEOPLE IN THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHTED APPROXIMATELY 200 LBS AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 7900 FT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.