Crash of a Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 600) in Raleigh: 2 killed

The pilot was issued runway 05, 7,500 feet, for IFR departure with favoring 4 knots quartering headwind. Pilot requested runway 14, 4,498 feet, for takeoff with a 4 knots quartering tailwind. Ground witness and control tower observed aircraft use nearly all of the runway on takeoff roll. After an abrupt rotation, the controller observed aircraft yaw to left and make a low altitude left turn. Seconds later the aircraft rapidly descended into trees and caught fire. The left propeller was found in the feathered position and the left engine was consumed by a ground fire. There was no evidence of any internal engine failure. The engine time smoh was 43 hours. Witness heard the aircraft takeoff with a series of loud backfires 25 days prior to the accident. Injector nozzles on the right engine were learned to correct the problem after 6 hours of operation one week later. The pilots log failed to show any recent training in single engine procedures. Both occupants were killed.