WPR09FA347

The pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate airspeed during a go-around, which resulted in a loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the inadvertent activation of the fuel boost pump during the attempted go-around.

While on final approach during the accident landing, the pilot informed air traffic control tower personnel that he was going to perform a go-around but gave no explanation for the maneuver. Witnesses observed the airplane climbing westbound ”belching” black smoke, then the engine stopped. When the airplane was about midfield, they saw it turn left and then back to the right and descend out of sight. The airplane impacted the roof and a vertical wall of a five-story building before coming to rest in an adjacent parking lot. Postaccident examination of the engine’s spark plugs and cylinders indicated that the engine was running with an overly rich fuel/air mixture, which was also evident from the witness statements of the black exhaust emanating from the airplane. The electric fuel boost pump switch is located next to the landing gear selection handle. According to the G36 Pilot Operating Handbook, the engine’s electric boost pump provides pressure for starting and emergency operation only. The handbook cautions that use of the electric boost pump during normal operations can result in an overly rich fuel/air mixture, possibly flooding the engine. If either pilot inadvertently activated the fuel boost pump while attempting to retract the landing gear during the go-around, it could have resulted in a temporarily rich fuel/air mixture, reducing the available engine power and possibly distracting the pilots during the go-around. Although, the examination revealed that the electric fuel boost pump system switch was in the “OFF” position and that the pump was not operating at the time of impact, it is possible that the pilots recognized that the electric fuel boost pump system was on during the go-around and switched it off before the crash. The position of the switch and the reduced engine power likely distracted the pilot, who did not maintain adequate airspeed during the go-around, which resulted in a loss of control.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 15, 2009, about 1620 Pacific daylight time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company (Hawker Beechcraft Company, HBC) G36, N618MW, struck a building and crashed into a parking lot near Hawthorne Municipal Airport (HHR), Hawthorne, California. Carpet Pros, Inc., was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The airline transport pilot with a certified flight instructor (CFI) certificate, the private pilot under instruction (PUI), and one passenger were killed; the airplane sustained substantial damage by impact forces. The local personal demonstration flight departed Hawthorne about 1550. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. During a personal local demonstrational flight, the CFI and the PUI had taken off, landed, and taxied back for another takeoff. During the second takeoff, the CFI reported to a controller in the air traffic control tower that the airplane had an open door, and successfully aborted the takeoff. The last takeoff was uneventful; while on final, the pilot advised the controller that they were going around, but gave no explanation. Witnesses reported that, as the airplane was climbing upwind during the go-around, it made a left turn midfield towards the south followed by a hard right turn back towards the west. A witness observed the airplane trailing black smoke and the wings were rocking. The airplane’s right wing tip struck on top of a rooftop adjacent to a parapet and a secondary impact occurred against a vertical wall approximately 45 feet high. The third impact mark was found within a parking lot 35 feet below west of the initial impact points. PERSONNEL INFORMATION Pilot in Command-(CFI) A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records revealed that the 38-year-old pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for airplane multiengine land, and a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot held a certified flight instructor (CFI) certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a first-class medical certificate issued on May 27, 2008. It had the limitations that the pilot must wear corrective lenses. No personal flight records were located for the pilot. The IIC obtained the aeronautical experience listed in this report from a review of the FAA airmen medical records on file in the Airman and Medical Records Center located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The pilot reported on his medical application that he had a total time of 3,500 hours with 520 hours logged in the last 6 months. The pilot reported to the insurance company on a pilot experience form that as of May 7, 2008, he had a total flight time of 2,830 hours, with 638 hours in the last 12 months. Pilot Under Instruction-(PUI) A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records revealed that the 40-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. The pilot held a second-class medical certificate issued on April 6, 2007. It had the limitations that the pilot must wear corrective lenses. No personal flight records were located for the pilot. The IIC obtained the aeronautical experience listed in this report from a review of the FAA airmen records on file in the Airman Records Center located in Oklahoma City. The pilot reported on his application for an additional rating of instrument airplane that he had a total time of 207 hours, as of June 3, 2009. The PUI had completed two other demonstration flights in the accident make and model airplane with representatives from HBC. The flights were conducted on April 30, 2009, and May 8, 2009. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was a Raytheon Aircraft Company G36, N618MW, serial number E-3643. A review of the airplane’s logbooks revealed that the airplane had a total airframe time of 387.7 hours at the last annual inspection. The logbooks contained an entry for an annual inspection dated February 11, 2009. The Hobbs hour meter read 387.7 hours at the last inspection. The Hobbs hour meter read 469.9 hours at the accident site. The engine was a Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM) IO-550-B, serial number 687084. Total time recorded on the engine at the last inspection was 387.7 hours. The airplane was manufactured and delivered with a TCM 10-550-B engine, which was normally aspirated. At the time of the accident, the engine contained an aftermarket installation of a Tornado Alley Turbo, Inc., (TATI) (Ada,Oklahoma) “Whirlwind System II” turbo normalizing system covered under STC SA5223NM that was installed on June 11, 2008. Fueling records at Hawthorne Municipal Airport established that the airplane was last fueled on July 15, 2009, with the addition of 9.5 gallons of 100LL-octane aviation fuel. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The closest weather reporting station was located at KHHR, which was approximately 0.1 mile north of the accident location. The routine weather reported 10 statute miles visibility and clear of clouds. The winds were reported at 13 knots from 260° magnetic; temperature was 23 degrees C (Celsius), 73.4 degrees F (Fahrenheit); and the dew point was 15 degrees C, 59 degrees F. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION Investigators examined the wreckage at the accident scene. The initial impact point was located on a rooftop within the Vought Aircraft Industries facility, adjacent to a parapet, which was approximately two stories high. Red and black (wingtip colors) paint transfer marks were located adjacent to the indentation in the roof, and beige (rooftop paint color) transfer marks were observed on the right wingtip. The secondary impact occurred against a vertical wall, approximately 45 feet high. The wall exhibited paint transfer marks (red and black) from the left wingtip, and two propeller slash marks were visible approximately 15 feet below and to the right of the wingtip marks. A third impact mark was observed within an asphalt parking lot, approximately 35 feet from the secondary impact with the vertical structure. The ground scar was approximately 10 inches deep by 24 inches wide. The airplane came to rest upright at Global Positioning System (GPS) coordinate of N33°55.235' W118°20.299', which was approximately 50 feet from the ground scar, adjacent to a parked car, and on an approximate heading of 030° magnetic. A strong odor of fuel consistent with 100LL-type fuel was present at the accident site. The outboard half of the right wing remained on the rooftop, adjacent to the parapet. The right elevator counterweight was recovered from the interior of an office. The office was located inside the vertical structure of a building, which was adjacent to the rooftop. The right wing exhibited leading edge compression buckling (forward to aft direction,) and was separated approximately 20 inches outboard of the right wing fuel filler cap. The right fuel tank was breached. The right aileron was intact, buckled, and attached to the separated outboard wing. The flap was separated approximately 12 inches outboard of the inboard track. The left wing remained intact throughout its length and remained attached to the fuselage. The left wing exhibited leading edge compression buckling (forward to aft direction). The left fuel tank was breached. The left aileron was intact, buckled, and remained attached to the wing. The flap was intact, buckled, and remained attached to the wing via the flap tracks. The nose section was compressed aft, the windshield was shattered, and the nose keel was collapsed. The engine separated from its mounts, and remained attached via control cables and hoses. The forward fuselage was intact and contained smooth linear cuts at the base of the pi