N9243C

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 29, 2009, at 1615 central standard time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, N9243C, was substantially damaged during landing at Memphis International Airport (MEM), Memphis, Tennessee. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured and three passengers received serious injuries. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight which originated at the Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB), Lewisburg, West Virginia, at 1255 eastern standard time. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

According to air traffic control radar data and recorded voice communications provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane entered Memphis Approach airspace at an altitude of 4,000 feet and was later cleared to 3,000 feet. The pilot was given an intercept heading and subsequently cleared for the ILS 18L approach at MEM. The airplane turned final at 3,000 feet and was subsequently cleared to 2,000 ft. Radar data indicated the airplane initially obtained the centerline for the 18L localizer; however, the airplane began to drift to the left soon after. The airplane maintained a parallel course, left of centerline, until glideslope interception.

When the airplane was about 5 miles from the end of runway 18L, it began a descent from 1,900 feet, while remaining left of the localizer. The airplane continued its descent until it reached an altitude of 900 ft (approximately 560 AGL), 3.6 nm from the end of runway 18L. At this point the airplane was below glideslope and left of centerline.

The air traffic controller issued a low altitude alert and current altimeter setting which was acknowledged by the pilot with "Roger, 43C, sorry about that." The airplane initiated a climb and turned toward the localizer, regaining it momentarily before drifting left again. The airplane climbed to 1,300 feet, then immediately descended again to 900 feet, when it was 2.6 nm from the end of runway 18L. A second low altitude alert (45 seconds after the first) was issued by the tower controller: "Low altitude alert, N43C, I show you indicating 1,000 feet, altimeter setting 29.92." The pilot responded "Roger, ah, 29." No further transmissions were received from the airplane.

Radar data indicated the airplane then climbed to 1,200 feet, during which the ground speed decreased from 95 knots to 83 knots. The airplane then began a right descending turn toward the southwest (186 degrees to 243 degrees), while the ground speed continued to decrease to 74 knots while in the turn. The airplane briefly became established on a level heading before making a left turn to 158 degrees. The ground speed decreased further to 63 knots, at an altitude of 500 feet.

The last radar hit indicated a heading of 158 degrees, at an altitude of 200 feet, and an airspeed of 63 knots.

The airplane impacted the grass area 10-degrees right (west) of the centerline and 1.25 nm from the end of runway 18L.

A witness, who was an instrument-rated pilot, reported he observed the airplane "emerge from the low lying clouds and thought it was obviously going to land well short of the runway." He observed the airplane at an altitude of about 400 feet, "on approach to 18C." The witness reported the airplane was headed in a southeast direction, instead of "directly south." The witness then observed the airplane bank to the left, enter a rapid descent, and subsequently "correct to the right" before impact. He thought the airplane "appeared to stall" just prior to striking the ground.

Another witness, who was working on the airport ramp, saw the airplane "flying very slow and tipping its wings from side to side" prior to the impact. After the impact, one of the passengers reported to the witness that the airplane was "hit with windshear from the right side" during the approach.

A third witness observed the airplane "depart from the low cloud cover and was already at a steep angle to the left." The witness stated the airplane "was vertical, with the left wing tip straight down." The airplane then "appeared to lose all lift and fell straight down, like a paper plane." The airplane first struck the ground with the left wing, which broke off, initiating a small fire.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. His most recent third-class FAA medical certificate was issued on December 18, 2007. At that time he reported 1,700 hours of total flight experience.

A review of the pilot's FAA Airman File revealed the pilot received a disapproval for his first application for an instrument rating, on April 1, 2000. The areas included for reexamination were: air traffic control clearances and procedures and holding procedures. The pilot successfully completed the practical examination for his instrument rating on May 8, 2000.

Two pilot logbooks were located in the airplane after the accident. The first logbook contained entries from January 7, 1997 to July 12, 2006. The second logbook contained entries from July 12, 2006 to November 29, 2009. According to the logbooks, the pilot accumulated 1,459 hours of total flight experience. He accumulated 273 hours of actual instrument experience, 6 hours of which were accumulated during the previous 6 months. In the previous 90 days, the pilot accumulated 9 hours of total flight experience, and in the previous 30 days the pilot accumulated 5 hours of total flight experience.

Additional review of the logbooks revealed the pilot began flying the accident airplane in July 1999. All of his flight time documented in the second logbook (from July 2006 to November 2009) was accumulated in the accident airplane. Additionally, all of the flights either departed from or returned to MEM, where the airplane was based, and a number of instrument approaches were conducted to MEM.

The pilot's most recent instrument proficiency check was completed on August 22, 2009. He also completed a biennial flight review on the same date. According to the certified flight instructor (CFI) who administered the reviews, 3 flights and 3 ground training sessions were needed to complete the reviews. The flight time totaled 4.7 hours and the ground training totaled 4.5 hours. The CFI assessed the pilot's skill and knowledge levels as "average," and reported the pilot flew "decent ILS approaches."

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The Piper PA-32RT-300 was a single-engine airplane powered by a Lycoming IO-540, 300 horsepower engine.

The pilot was also a co-owner of the airplane. He purchased the airplane in October 1999, with two other individuals. The airplane had been based at MEM since it was purchased.

The most recent inspection performed on the airplane was an annual inspection, completed on October 1, 2009. At that time, the airplane had accumulated 4,850 total flight hours.

At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 4,875 total flight hours.

The airplane was last re-fueled prior to departure from LWB. According to an employee of the fixed base operator at LWB, the airplane was "topped off" with 44 gallons of aviation fuel.

A weight and balance computation was completed by a representative of the airplane manufacturer. According to the computation, at the time of the accident the airplane center of gravity was at about 99.26 inches aft of the airplane datum or approximately 3.26 inches aft of the rear center of gravity (CG) limit.

Additionally, assuming the passenger seating configuration provided by one of the passengers, the departure weight would have been about 143 pounds over the airplane's maximum gross weight and the CG would have been a fraction of an inch out of the aft limit.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Weather recorded at MEM, at 1553, included wind from 190 degrees at 10 knots, 1 mile visibility in mist, an overcast cloud layer at 300 feet, temperature 13 degrees C, dew point 12 degrees C, and altimeter setting 29.91 inches mercury.

Weather recorded at 1632, included wind from 200 degrees at 8 knots, 1 mile visibility in mist, an overcast cloud layer at 300 feet, temperature 13 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 12 degrees C, and altimeter setting 29.92 inches mercury.

The pilot requested and received a weather briefing for the flight, from the Raleigh Flight Service Station (FSS) on November 29, 2009 at 1121 EST. The weather briefer informed the pilot that his flight may "be longer than expected" due to "some weather" in western Tennessee. A trough extended from northern Virginia to northern Georgia, and a low pressure system and cold front existed behind the trough, which created the adverse weather. The terminal forecast for the Memphis area at the time of the pilot's arrival included winds from 200 degrees at 9 knots, visibilities greater than 6 miles with rain showers in the vicinity and an overcast cloud layer at 1,500 feet.

At the conclusion of the briefing, the pilot filed his IFR flight plan. He did not list an alternate airport for his destination.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

Memphis International Airport was comprised of three parallel runways, oriented in a 18R/36L, 18C/36C, and 18L/36R configuration. The airport also had an intersecting runway, oriented in a 9/27 configuration.

The airport had 27 approaches to the 8 runways.

The inbound course for the ILS Runway 18L approach was 178 degrees magnetic, and the glideslope crossing altitude was 2,000 feet. The decision altitude (DA) was 501 feet msl and the touchdown zone elevation was 301 feet. The visibility requirement for the approach was 1/2 mile. The approach procedure required the pilot to acquire visual contact with the runway upon reaching the DA. If the approach was not stabilized, and/or no visual contact was made at the DA, the pilot was required to perform the missed approach procedure, which was: "climb to 900 then climbing left turn to...