N67TE

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 22, 2008, at 2309 central standard time, a Piper PA46-500TP, N67TE, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain and a post impact fire, about 1/2 miles north-northwest of Marshfield Municipal Airport (MFI), Marshfield, Wisconsin. The night cross-country flight was being conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight departed Austin Straubel International Airport (GRB), Green Bay, Wisconsin, about 2220. MFI was the intended destination.

At 2220, after takeoff from GRB, the pilot contacted the Green Bay Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) radar controller (Green Bay departure). He reported having taken off from runway 18 and turning on course for MFI. At 2228, the departure controller terminated radar service as the airplane left GRB airspace to the west. The flight was about 15 nautical miles (nm) west of GRB and climbing through 10,200 feet mean sea level (msl) at the time.

At 2250, the pilot contacted the Minneapolis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC). The flight was approximately 10 nm northeast of MFI at the time. He advised the controller that he was inbound to MFI on the Global Positioning System (GPS) Runway 16 approach course. The pilot also inquired about traffic ahead of his position and 1,600 feet below his altitude. The controller informed the pilot that he was not aware of any traffic and that he was below radar coverage in that area. The pilot replied that he would try the local Unicom frequency. Minneapolis ARTCC received no further communications from the pilot.

Radar track data depicted the airplane climbing out from GRB and proceeding west-northwest toward MFI. Initial radar data was recorded at 2221:31 (hhmm:ss). The airplane was about 0.4 nm west of GRB at 2,100 feet msl. About 2230, the airplane leveled at a cruise altitude of 10,500 feet msl en route to MFI. It was approximately 20 nm west of GRB at that time. About 2242, the airplane began a descent from cruise altitude as it continued on course. At 2249:54, the track data depicted the airplane about 11 nm northeast of MFI at 5,700 feet msl. The final radar track data point was recorded 10 seconds later, at 2250:04, with the airplane 10.8 nm northeast of MFI. There was no altitude data associated with the final data point.

Witnesses stated that they observed the airplane approaching MFI and that it appeared to be making a normal approach for landing. However, shortly thereafter the airplane rolled abruptly to the left to a point where they could see the full profile (top) of the aircraft. Both wing tip lights were visible. The nose then dropped and the airplane descended behind a church. A moment later, they witnessed the flash of the post impact explosion.

The airplane came to rest in the backyard of a residence. Local fire authorities subsequently extinguished the post impact fire.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The accident pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with single and multi-engine land airplane, and instrument airplane ratings. He was issued a Third-Class Airman Medical and Student Pilot Certificate on November 5, 2005. The medical certificate noted no limitations. The pilot completed a flight review and instrument proficiency check on September 12, 2008, as part of a Meridian training course.

The pilot's logbook was recovered from the wreckage; however, it was damaged by the post impact fire and sections of the pages were not readable. Legible entries ranged from September 9 through September 27, 2008 on the first page, and from October 9 through November 16, 2008 on the second page. Although the year was not noted on the legible entries, comments associated with flights on October 27 and November 5th corresponded to maintenance log entries. Flight time totals brought forward on the first page were: 767 hours total flight time, 548 hours single-engine airplane, 219 hours multi-engine airplane, 209 hours night, and 60 hours actual instrument, with 76 instrument approaches.

A review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airmen certification records revealed that the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating on February 22, 2006. On the application for that certificate, he reported a total civilian flight time of 122 hours. On May 20, 2006, the pilot was reissued a private pilot certificate with the addition of multi-engine airplane rating. He reported a total civilian flight time of 249 hours at that time.

On September 28, 2006, the pilot was issued a commercial pilot certificate with single and multi-engine land airplane, and instrument airplane ratings. The certificate was issued on the basis of prior military flight experience. The pilot's application noted a total flight experience of 11,384 hours, with flight time in United States Navy F-14 and T-44 aircraft.

In support of his application, the pilot furnished a resume and an instrument rating request form to the FAA. The resume noted Naval Academy attendance from 1986 to 1990. From 1990 until 1993, the resume listed flight training and operational squadron assignments. He resigned his active duty commission in 1993, and continued to serve as a Navy reservist. No unit assignments were listed related to Navy reserve duty.

The U.S. Navy Instrument Rating Request form, dated November 22, 2005, indicated that the pilot had successfully completed the training program. The rating form noted a total pilot time of 11,009 hours, with 8,602 hours actual instrument time and 1,001 hours of simulated instrument time. The form listed "Total Years Flying Experience (Military and Commercial)" as 15 years.

A search of personnel records by the U.S. Navy did not reveal any record corresponding to the accident pilot. Additionally, the pilot's wife and father informed the NTSB that he had never served in the military.

The pilot completed a Meridian training course after he took delivery of the accident airplane. According to training vendor records, the training was conducted between September 8th and September 12th, 2009. The records indicated that the pilot was issued a flight review and an instrument proficiency check endorsement at the conclusion of the course. The course consisted of 20 hours of ground training in airplane systems, performance, normal procedures and emergency procedures. The pilot also completed 8.5 hours of simulator training and 5.0 hours of flight training covering normal, emergency, and instrument procedures.

The pilot provided a summary of his flight experience to the Meridian training vendor prior to the course. The form was dated July 30, 2008. He reported a total flight time of 749 hours, with 219 hours of multi-engine time and 60 hours of instrument time. He indicated that he had accumulated 195 hours during the previous year, 59 hours during the previous 90 days, and 24 hours during the previous 30 days. He listed 60 hours as his "total time in type."

National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) records indicated that the pilot was involved in a previous accident on June 2, 2006, in Faribault, Minnesota. The accident involved a runway excursion and gear collapse during landing. The NTSB determined that the pilot had lost directional control precipitating the accident. No anomalies were identified with respect to the airplane. The pilot satisfactorily completed a re-examination checkride with an FAA inspector on October 25, 2006.

The pilot had owned four other Piper aircraft within in a 23-month period preceding the accident. FAA records indicated that he bought and sold the following airplanes during that time period.

February 5, 2007 ~ July 13, 2007: 2003 Piper Archer II (PA-28-181) -- N7702H

July 13, 2007 ~ February 15, 2008: 2006 Piper Saratoga II TC (PA-32R-301T) -- N477HP

January 31, 2008 ~ April 9, 2008: 2008 Piper Matrix (PA-46R-350T) -- N3028G

April 9, 2008 ~ September 24, 2008: 2007 Piper Malibu Mirage (PA-46-350P) -- N1064S

September 5, 2008: 2008 Piper Malibu Meridian (PA-46-500TP) -- N67TE

Aircraft manufacturer records indicated that the accident pilot was involved in an incident with the Malibu Mirage, N1064S, on April 23, 2008. According to the manufacturer, the pilot declined manufacturer requests to examine the airplane. FAA airworthiness records indicated that the firewall was repaired and the engine mount replaced on June 5, 2008. The reason for the repair work was not included with those records.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane was a 2008 Piper PA46-500TP Meridian, serial number 4697364. The aircraft was a 6-place, pressurized, single-engine airplane, with a retractable, tricycle landing gear configuration. It was powered by a 850 shaft-horsepower Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A turbo-propeller engine derated to 500 shaft-horsepower, and a Hartzell HC-E4N-3Q 4-bladed propeller assembly. The airplane was certified under FAA Type Certificate A25SO. The airplane was issued a Standard Airworthiness Certificate on July 24, 2008, as a new aircraft. The accident pilot purchased the airplane on September 5, 2008.

Records were provided by the fixed base operator/service facility that delivered the airplane and conducted a recent inspection. The service facility completed a 50-hour warranty inspection on November 4, 2008, at a total airframe time of 53.5 hours. The records indicated that all applicable airworthiness directives had been complied with at that time.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

The closest weather reporting facility to the accident site was the destination airport, MFI, located approximately 0.5 miles south-southwest at an elevation of 1,277 feet msl. The airport was equipped with an Automated Surface Observation System (ASOS) and reported the f...