PANAMA CITY, FL, USA
N18PA
PIPER PA-31
WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE TAKEOFF AS A LONG GROUND ROLL, SLOW CLIMB, AND ENGINES NOT SOUNDING NORMAL. THE AIRPLANE THEN SETTLED INTO TREES. TEARDOWN OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED WATER PRESENT IN THE FUEL INJECTOR LINES OF #1, #3 AND #5 CYLS. #3 NOZZLE PLUGGED. INTAKE VALVES DARK & SOOTY. PISTONS 1, 3 AND 5 HAD CONSIDERABLE AMOUNTS OF DARK CARBON DEPOSITS. TEARDOWN OF RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED EXTENSIVE CARBON BUILDUPS THROUGHOUT. AN ENGINE TEST RUN WAS PERFORMED BY THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE DAY BEFORE ACCIDENT. PERSONNEL FORMERLY EMPLOYED BY THE OPERATOR PROVIDED WRITTEN STATEMENTS OF ALLEGATIONS PERTAINING TO THE GENERAL CONDITION OF COMPANY AIRPLANES, FALSIFICATION OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS, AND IMPROPER MAINTANANCE PROCEDURES BEING PERFORMED ON COMPANY AIRPLANES.
A LOSS OF POWER ON BOTH ENGINES DURING TAKEOFF AS A RESULT OF INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE. IN ADDITION, THE PILOT FAILED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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