N68999

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On May 10, 2006, at 0921central daylight time (CDT), a Piper PA60-602P, N68999, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 business flight, had an in-flight breakup in the vicinity of Camp Hill, Alabama, while maneuvering to reverse its flight path in an intense to extreme radar echo (VIP level 5 to level 6 thunderstorm.) Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at flight altitude and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The private pilot and one passenger received fatal injuries. The flight originated from Habersham County Airport, Cornelia, Georgia, on May 10, 2006, at 09:19 eastern daylight time (EDT). The airplane wreckage was located on May 11, 2006.

A person who identified himself as the pilot of N68999 telephoned Macon Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) at 0856 EDT, requesting a weather briefing for an IFR flight to Mobile, Alabama. The flight service specialist provided information on a line of embedded thunderstorm activity along the route from Atlanta to Mobile including SIGMETs and advising that tops were forecast to be at 41,000 to 50,000 feet. The specialist suggested that the pilot not depart immediately because of the weather, but said that it might be possible to land at an intermediate stop ahead of the weather, possibly in the Pensacola or further north in the Crestview area, wait for the storms to pass, and then continue the flight to Mobile. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan from Cornelia, Georgia, to Pensacola at 16,000 feet.

At 0916 EDT, the pilot telephoned Macon AFSS to obtain his clearance. The Macon specialist asked the pilot how much time he needed to get airborne, and the pilot responded "15 minutes, or 10 minutes' will be enough I guess - whatever you can let me have." The specialist responded that the clearance was on request, and that he would work on the void time and placed the pilot on hold. The specialist contacted Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and obtained an IFR clearance, "…from the Habersham airport to the Pensacola airport via revised routing direct to Athens, direct to Pensacola, climb and maintain 4,000, expect 16,000, 10 minutes after departure, squawk 6360, contact Atlanta Center 134.8. Clearance void if not off by 35, advise center of intentions no later than 40." The Macon specialist read back the clearance. When he returned to the inbound telephone line to provide the pilot with the requested IFR clearance, the pilot was no longer on the line.

The pilot departed Cornelia without an IFR clearance and contacted Atlanta ARTCC at 0929 EDT. The controller informed the pilot that he was not on his assigned heading, altitude, correct transponder code, and subsequently handed the pilot off to another controller. The flight was subsequently cleared direct to Panama City, Florida, and the pilot was instructed to climb to 16,000 feet. Further review of radio communications between Atlanta ARTCC and the pilot revealed the pilot contacted Atlanta ARTCC at 09:20:48 CDT and stated, "Aero Star six eight triple nine we're going to make a reverse." The controller stated "roger." There was no further radio contact with the pilot of N68999.

A review of radar data revealed the airplane was level at 16,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), heading southwest at 09:19:48 CDT. At 09:20:38, the airplane began a continuous left turn northwest bound and was at 15,700 feet. The last radar return was at 09:20:59, and the airplane was at 15, 600 feet.

Atlanta ARTCC broadcast weather alerts over the radio frequency the pilot was on for Center Weather Advisory 101, SIGMETS 73C, 74C,and AIRMET Sierra between 0903 to 0913 CDT. The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center, issued Severe Thunderstorm Watch 329 valid from 0635 CDT until 1300 CDT. The National Weather Service Aviation Weather Center issued Convective SIGMET 73C valid from 0855 CDT until 1055 CDT. The SIGMET was for a line of thunderstorms 40 nautical miles wide, and moving from 280 degrees at 35 knots. The tops of the thunderstorms were at 44,000 feet, with 2-inch hail, and possible wind gusts up to 60 knots. These weather alerts included the route of flight for N68999.

A review of radar data revealed that the airplane was at 16,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), heading southwest at 09:19:48 CDT. At 09:20:38, the airplane began a continuous left turn northwest bound and was at 15,700 feet. The last radar return was at 09:20:59, and the airplane was at 15, 600 feet.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

A 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 July 13, 1991, with ratings for airplane single engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a third class medical certificate issued on April 7, 2006, with the restriction "must have available glasses for near vision." According to the deceased pilot's wife, the pilot's logbook and airplane logbooks were in the airplane at the time of the accident. The logbooks were not located at the crash site. The pilot's last flight review could not be determined. The pilot indicated on his application for the medical certificate that he had 2,500 total flight hours.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

Review of the airplane logbooks revealed the last recorded annual inspection was conducted on September 21, 2005. The Hobbs time was 938.0 hours and the total airframe time was 2998.0 hours. The right engine was overhauled by Columbia Aircraft Services, Loomsburg, Pennsylvania, on April 8, 2003, at Hobbs 532.2 hours, and installed by Zane Pritts Aviation Inc., Elyria, Ohio, on April 10, 2003. The last annual inspection on the right engine was on September 21, 2005. The Hobbs time was 938.0 hours and the total time since overhaul was 405.8 hours. The left engine was overhauled by Teledyne Mattituck Services Inc., Mattitick, New York, on August 31, 2005, and installed by Master Aviation Inc., on September 21, 2005. The engine had 0 hours since major overhaul at installation. The Hobbs meter was not located at the crash site and the total airframe and engine times could not be determined. The last recorded pitot static system, altimeter, and transponder test were conducted on March 13, 2006. A review of refueling records on file at Habersham County Airport, Cornelia, Georgia, revealed the airplane was topped off with 72.7 gallons of 100 low lead fuel on May 10, 2006, before departing on the IFR flight to Pensacola, Florida.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Auburn-Opelika Robert G. Pitts Airport, Auburn, Alabama, located 15.4 miles southeast of the accident site. The 0915 surface weather observation was: wind 040 at 3 knots, visibility 10 miles, clouds at 1,000 feet, scattered, 2,700 feet, broken, ceiling 3,700 feet overcast, temperature 66 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 61 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter setting 29.97inches of Hg Distant lightning was reported to the west. A weather study conducted by the NTSB Meteorology Resource Specialist revealed the pilot penetrated an intense to extreme VIP level 5 to level 6 weather radar echo containing a thunderstorm. The thunderstorm contained strong horizontal and vertical winds, heavy rain, turbulence, icing, and instrument flight conditions. The cloud tops were near 38,000 feet and the freezing level was near 14,000 feet.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The main wreckage was located 200 yards southwest of Route 50 and Jackson Road in a wooded area in the vicinity of Camp Hill, Alabama. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane collided with trees and the ground in a vertical nose down attitude. The airplane came to rest on a heading of 355-degrees magnetic. No crash debris line was noted.

The nose section and cabin area was compressed aft to the cabin center section. The cabin roof was compressed aft and separated from the airframe. The nose wheel and tire was separated from the nose landing gear strut. The left and right main wing spars and cabin center section was compressed aft to the leading edge of the left and right horizontal stabilizers. The fuselage fuel tank was ruptured. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed to the control surfaces due to damage.

The right wing main spar upper cap was separated inboard of the right engine nacelle. The right wing rear spar cap was cracked at the right engine nacelle. The leading edge of the right wing was compressed aft to the right wing spar. The outboard right wing panel separated 9 feet 2 inches outboard of the wing root. The spar caps were bent upward. The right wing upper and lower main spar caps, the right wing upper and lower rear spar caps were removed at the outer wing separation point and sent to the NTSB Metallurgy Laboratory for examination. Examination of the components revealed the deformation patterns found on the fracture surfaces were consistent with upward bending overstress of the right wing. The separated outboard section of the right wing was not recovered. The right flaps were partially extended in the flap tracks and the tracks remained attached to the aft spar. The right aileron separated and was not located. The right main fuel tank was ruptured. The right main landing gear separated from the right wing trunion.

The right engine and propeller assembly was buried three feet below the surface of the ground. The engine assembly separated from all engine mounts. The propeller spinner was not located. The propeller hub was broken and separated from the propeller flange. Two propeller blades remained attached, and one propeller blade separated from the propeller hub. One propeller blade was bent aft in the propeller hub. Numerous nicks were present on the leading edge of the propeller blade and chord-wise scarring was present. Another propeller blad...