N9103Z

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On February 23, 2004, at 0849 central standard time, a Piper PA-46-310P, N9103Z, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, broke up in-flight in the vicinity of Arlington, Alabama. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at flight altitude and an instrument flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The private pilot and his passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated from Panama City-Bay County International Airport, Panama City, Florida, on February 23, 2004, at 0738 central standard time.

At 0605, the pilot received a preflight weather briefing from the Gainesville Automated Flight Service Station and filed and instrument flight plan. The briefer advised the pilot of the potential for occasional moderate turbulence between 24,000 and 37,000 feet and on the current Convective SIGMET for embedded thunderstorms over southern Mississippi. Review of pilot reports revealed light rime icing conditions and light to moderate turbulence across the area with instrument meteorological conditions. After takeoff from Panama City, Air Traffic Control procedures were described as routine.

At 0819:32, the pilot radioed Atlanta Center, "uh we'd like to deviate a little bit to the north to get around some of these buildups." The controller asked the pilot if he encountered any rime icing in his area, and the pilot stated no. The pilot was cleared to Flight level (FL) 230 and instructed to contact another sector of Atlanta Center at 0827. The pilot made the frequency change and informed the new controller that he was climbing to FL230. The controller informed the pilot to climb to FL250 and amended the climb clearance to FL240 at 08:30:23. The pilot stated "Four oh thank you." At 08:46:54, radar data revealed the airplane was at 24,000 feet flying a northwest heading. At 08:47:02, the airplane was at 23,800 feet in a right turn. At 08:47:04, the airplane was at 23,600 feet heading northwest. At 08:47:34, the airplane was heading northeast at 16,300 feet. At 08:47:51, the controller radioed the pilot to verify that he was flying at FL240. There was no response from the pilot. At 08:47:58, radar data revealed the airplane was at 9,600 feet. At 08:48:04, the airplane was at 8,300 feet heading southeast. At 08:48:44, the airplane was last observed by the controller in radar contact flying a southeast heading at 3,100 feet.

At 1000, the shift supervisor for the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center telephoned the Wilcox County Sheriff Department and reported the loss of radar contact with N9103Q at 24,000. The Sheriff Department was also told that the last radar contact with the airplane was 40 miles north of Monroeville, Alabama. A ground search was initiated at local airports failed to located the downed airplane. However, at 1715, the airplane wreckage was located by a local pilot. The airplane wreckage was scattered over an area 1/2 mile long.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate on May 30, 1985, with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued on April 16, 2002, with the limitation, "not valid for any class after April 30, 2004." The pilot reported his total flight time was 4,500 hours on his application for the medical certificate. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed the last recorded entry was on June 20, 2003. The pilot had logged 5,021.4 hours of which 883.6 hours were in the PA-46-310P. The pilot's last biennial flight review and instrument proficiency was on June 20, 2003.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Examination of the airplane logbooks revealed the last annual inspection was conducted on May 7, 2003. The Hobbs hour meter and total airframe hours was 2105.0. The Hobbs hour meter at the crash site and total airframe hours was 2155.15. The airplane had flown 50.15 hours since the annual inspection. The pitot system check and transponder inspection was conducted on April 29, 2003. The emergency locator transmitter was inspected on May 5, 2003. The last entry in the engine and airframe logbook was on August 12, 2003, at 2133.0 Hobbs hours. Review of refueling records revealed the airplane was last refueled on February 23, 2004; with 68.5 gallons of 100 low lead fuel.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The National Weather Service (NWS) Surface Analysis Chart at 09:00 depicted a warm front extending along the Gulf coast to the south of the accident site with an extensive area of overrunning clouds and precipitation north of the front. A weak trough of low pressure extended over the accident site with an area of moderate-to-heavy rain.

The NWS Weather Depiction Chart issued at 10:00 depicted a large area of instrument flight rule and marginal flight rule conditions extending over southwest Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, southeast, and northern Texas, Oklahoma, the Texas panhandle, and extended over the accident site. Several stations across southwest and western Alabama, and Mississippi indicated moderate to continuous rain, with the majority of the stations over Louisiana reporting light continuous rain.

The NWS Radar Summary Chart depicted an area of echoes extending from western South Carolina, northern and western Georgia, extreme western Florida panhandle, most of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, to eastern Texas, and along the Gulf coastal sections. In the vicinity of the accident site the echoes were depicted as strong-to-very strong intensity rain showers. The echo tops depicted across southern Alabama ranged from 29,000 to 32,000 feet. Movement of the cells was depicted to the east-northeast at 38 knots near the Alabama Gulf coast.

The NWS Convective Outlook indicated possible thunderstorm activity over the region, with a slight chance of severe thunderstorms along the coastal area to the south of the crash site. The closest NWS Surveillance Radar was located at Birmingham, Alabama, 78 miles northeast of the accident site. The radar images indicate the accident airplane was operating in an area of echoes associated with heavy rain at the time of the in-flight breakup.

The nearest weather reporting facility was located at Middleton Field Airport, Evergreen, Alabama, and located 49 miles southeast of the crash site. The 0853 surface weather observation was, wind from 030 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 1 3/4 miles in moderate rain and mist, ceiling broken at 2,400 feet, overcast at 6,500 feet, temperature 46 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 45 degrees Fahrenheit, altimeter 30.13 inches of Mercury. Remarks: automated observation system, sea level pressure 1020.1-mb, precipitation in the last hour 0.19 inches, 6-hour rainfall 0.24 inches, 3-hour pressure tendency fallen 3.0-mb.

The 0842 special observation for Middleton Field Airport was, wind from 050 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 1 1/2 miles in heavy rain and mist, ceiling broken at 2,800 feet, overcast at 6,000 feet, temperature 46 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 45 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 30.12. Remarks: automated observation system, precipitation since last hour 0.13 inches.

The next closest observation location was from Key Field Airport, Meridian, Mississippi, located approximately 56 miles west of the accident site. The 0853 surface weather observation was, wind from 090 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 2 1/2 miles in heavy rain and mist, ceiling overcast at 2,800 feet, temperature 9 degrees C, dew point 8 degrees C, altimeter 30.10 inches of Mercury. Remarks: automated observation, sea level pressure 1019.1-mb, precipitation last hour 0.28 inches, 6-hour rainfall 0.72 inches, 3-hour pressure tendency fallen 1.2-mb.

The National Weather Service issued Convective SIGMET 47C at 0753 for portions of Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and coastal waters was valid until 0955 for an area of embedded thunderstorms moving from 240-degrees at 20 knots, with tops to 37,000 feet. At 08:55 Convective SIGMET 51C updated the boundaries of the advisory. The advisor warned of an area of embedded thunderstorms moving from 240 at 20 knots, with tops to 38,000 feet. The accident site was located within the boundaries of the advisory.

The National Center for Environmental Prediction forecast for clear air turbulence indicated a high probability of turbulence across central Alabama. The forecast was confirmed by an air carrier report north-northwest of the accident site that reported moderate to severe turbulence at 35,000 feet.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The main forward cabin wreckage was located north of County Road 32 in a wooded swampy area 1.31 miles northwest of Arlington, Alabama. The remaining empennage was located .31 nautical miles southwest of the main forward cabin, and 1.53 miles northwest of Arlington, Alabama.

Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane rested on its right side. Three slash marks were present on the side of a tree located to the right of the main cabin area18 feet above the base of the tree. There was no evidence of a crash debris line.

The engine assembly was displaced to the left. The engine cowling was damaged on both sides and the bottom. The propeller spinner was crushed and remained attached to the propeller hub. The propeller assembly was attached to the engine crankshaft propeller flange. Both propeller blades remained in their propeller hub. One propeller blade exhibited torsional twisting, "S" bending, and chord wise scarring on the camber and aft side of the propeller blade. The remaining propeller blade exhibited torsional twisting and was bent forward at midspan. The nose gear was in the extended position. The landing gear lever in the cockpit was in the retracted position.

The forward baggage compartment was buckled aft and up. The baggage door was ...