Piper PA-30 N181MM

Summary

On 8 February 2001 at about 12:10 local time, a Piper PA-30 registered N181MM, operated by Mario Rodriguez-Mattei, was involved in an accident near Ponce, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 February 2001 at 12:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Ponce, United States

Nearest airport

Mercedita International (PSE)

Coordinates

17.9964, -66.5539

Aircraft

Piper PA-30

Registration

N181MM

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Mario Rodriguez-Mattei

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ponce → St. Thomas

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA01FA072

1 person died.

The pilot's decision to attempt flight with known deficiencies in the airplanes right engine, his failure to feather the right propeller after the engine failed , his failure to retract the landing gear following the engine failure, and his failure to maintain minimum single engine control speed (Vmc), resulting in loss of control of the airplane and impact with the ground during an uncontrolled descent.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses observed the pilot having trouble starting the right engine after refueling. Once the right engine was started it made a popping sound. The pilot proceeded to taxi to the runway and takeoff with the right engine still making a popping sound. The airplane was observed to climb to about 250 to 300 feet with the landing gear still extended. The airplane then began to descend and turn to the right. After turning to a downwind position, the airplane rolled rapidly to the right and descended, impacting the ground in a near vertical attitude. Postcrash examination showed the left propeller was rotating during impact and there was no evidence of failure or malfunction of the left engine. The right propeller showed no evidence of rotating under power at ground impact and the propeller blades were locked on the start latches at the 18 degree position. No evidence of failure or malfunction of the right propeller or propeller governor was found. The right engine assembly showed no evidence of precrash failure or malfunction. The right engine fuel servo had a bent regulator stem which caused sticking of the fuel regulator and abnormal fuel mixtures. The right fuel selector was found off after the accident and the mixture, throttle and propeller controls for the right engine were found in the low midrange position. The landing gear and landing gear control were found in the landing gear extended position. The wing flaps were retracted. The checklist for engine failure requires the pilot to retract the landing gear, maintain at least the single engine minimum control speed, and shutdown the failed engine and feather the propeller.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.