# NTSB ATL04LA052: Piper PA-39, N230SW, Kissimmee, FL, December 13, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 13, 2003, 13:04 local (18:04 UTC) - Place: Kissimmee, FL - Coordinates: 28.291666, -81.438331 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.2917&lon=-81.4383&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Orlando FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 58498 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04LA052 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/58498/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04LA052 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control which resulted in a collision with terrain and obstacles following a loss of right engine power. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - aborted - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - airport facility ## Analysis During takeoff the right engine lost power. Approximately 20 feet above the ground after takeoff, the airplane was drifting to the right and the pilot said that he "chopped" the left engine and landed on the right side of runway 15 in the grass. The airplane bounced over taxiway B and then hit a runway sign and a taxi light. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed damage to the left wing and a severed left tip tank. The fuel selectors were found in the center position and there were a total of 14 gallons of fuel onboard. The engines were taken to Sunstate Aviation at Kissimmee Airport for further examination. The magneto checks were good and both engines were run for 20 minutes, up to a power setting of 2650 rpm. Both engines had no difficulty starting, going through power settings or maintaining maximum output power. A review of performance data from the Pilot's Operating Handbook, revealed that the accelerate stop distance is 2470 feet. Runway 15 is 6000 feet long by 100 feet wide, and the airplane came to rest approximately 3400 feet from the departure end of the runway. ## Factual narrative On December 13, 2003, at 1304 eastern standard time, a Piper Twin Comanche PA-39, N230SW, registered to Dolphin Sales and operated by Skyway Aircraft Inc., collided with an airport sign and taxiway light during an aborted takeoff from runway 15 at Kissimmee Gateway Airport in Kissimmee, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight planed filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The accident occurred during the attempted takeoff from Kissimmee, Florida, on December 13, 2003. According to the pilot, with both engines up to take off rpm, and at 85 mph, the airplane lifted off the runway and immediately started to drift right. The pilot noticed the right engine had lost power and quit. Approximately 20 feet above the ground the airplane continued the right turn despite the pilot's efforts to correct the right drift. At this point, the pilot "chopped" the left engine power and landed the airplane on the right side of runway 15 in the grass. The airplane bounced over taxiway "B" and then hit a runway sign and a taxiway light. The airplane stopped in the grass near the intersection of taxiway "B" and runway 15. After a short conversation with the pilot, the Kissimmee Tower Controller cleared the flight to the Ranger Aviation Ramp. The pilot did not report any mechanical problems with the airplane prior to the accident. Examination of the wreckage revealed damage to the left wing and a severed left tip tank. The fuel selectors were found in the center position and there were a total of 14 gallons of fuel onboard. The engines were taken to Sunstate Aviation at Kissimmee Airport for further examination. The magneto checks were good and both engines were run for 20 minutes, up to a power setting of 2650 rpm. Both engines had no difficulty starting, going through power settings or maintaining maximum output power. A review of performance data from the Pilot's Operating Handbook, revealed that the takeoff accelerate /stop distance is 2470 feet. Runway 15 is 6000 feet long by 100 feet wide. The airplane came to rest approximately 3400 feet from the departure end of the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N230SW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N230SW), registered now, S/N 39-37, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-39 - Registry model: [Piper PA-39](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-39) (registry code 7103902) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 39-37 - Airframe hours: 2409.4 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Skyway Aircraft Inc. - Registered owner: Dolphin Sales Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, November 4, 2003 - Departed: ISM, Kissimmee, FL - Airport: ISM, Kissimmee Gateway Airport, runway 15, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2; last flight review October 28, 2003; flight hours: 12,000 total, 130 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC) - Wind: 160° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,500 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: ISM ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20031213037489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20031213037489A), Dec 13, 2003: Piper PA39, Kissimmee, FL, Substantial damage. (-23) On 12/13/03, N230SW, a Piper, PA-39-39, departed runway 15 at 12:50 at Kissimmee airport (ism). The pilot larry william peters, holder of airman pilot… From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.