N87NF

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 2, 2013, at 1919 eastern standard time (EST), a Piper PA-46-310P, N87NF, was destroyed following an inflight break up, and impact with terrain in a heavily wooded area near Dawsonville, Georgia. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight. The private pilot was fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed Morristown Municipal Airport (MMU), Morristown, New Jersey, around 1635 with the intended destination of Dekalb-Peachtree Airport (PDK), Atlanta, Georgia.

According to recorded Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Air Traffic Control (ATC) data, the airplane checked in on the Atlanta Air Route Traffic Control Center. The controller verified that the pilot had the local weather information for the intended destination of PDK. Then, the controller queried the pilot about the airplane heading and asked if he was able to hold the assigned airplane altitude. The pilot responded affirmative and that he was having trouble with his autopilot. The controller then issued the airplane a heading of 200 degrees and an altitude of 8,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The aircraft had descended below 8,000 feet msl and the controller issued a revised altitude of 7,000 feet msl. There was no response from the flight and radar contact was lost, with the last recorded radar data occurring at 1918. Search and Rescue was initiated immediately and local law enforcement received emergency calls reporting an aircraft crash soon after.

According to a witness, he heard the airplane fly over his house and heard the engine "sputter" a bit. In addition, the airplane sounded like it was in an "extremely deep dive" and it seemed like the pilot "tried to do full throttle out of the dive." PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. The most recent third-class medical certificate was issued on March 1, 2013, and had a restriction of "must wear lenses for distant – possess glasses for near vision." This pilot reported his flight experience on the most recent medical application, which included 3,500 total hours and 50 hours in previous six months. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONAccording to FAA records, the six-seat, low-wing, retractable gear airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate in 1987 and was registered to Culbair LLC in 2007. It was powered by a Pratt and Whitney PT-6A-34 750-shaft horsepower engine. It was also driven by a 4-bladed Hartzell controllable pitch propeller. According to the airplane maintenance logbooks, the most recent annual inspection was performed on January 29, 2013, and at that time, it had accumulated 5904.4 hours of total time. In addition, at the time of the annual inspection the recorded hobbs time was 1516 hours. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe Lee Gimer Memorial Airport (GVL), Gainesville, Georgia, which was located approximately 12 miles southeast of the accident location, at an elevation of 1,276 feet, had an automated weather observation that recorded the weather at 1853 EST was calm wind, visibility 4 miles in mist, ceiling overcast at 500 feet above ground level (agl), temperature 10 degrees C, dew point 9 degrees C, and an altimeter 29.86 inches of mercury (Hg).

The Atlanta composite reflectivity image at 1917 EST indicated that the last radar target was on the leading edge of a large area of light to moderate radar echoes on the range of 15 to 35 dBZ. A review of total lightning activity from 1800 through 1930 EST detected no lightning activity in the area, supporting light to moderate rain showers and no thunderstorms associated with the area of echoes.

The GOES-13 infrared imagery for 1915 EST with the most recent radar target data and the frontal position indicated an extensive area of overcast nimbostratus type clouds over the region, with a radiative cloud top temperature of negative 13.15 degrees C, which corresponded to cloud tops near 16,600 feet.

According to the Astronomical Applications Department at the United States Naval Observatory, the official sunset occurred at 1726, end of civil twilight at 1754, with the moonset occurring at 1727. At the time of the accident both the Sun and the Moon were more than 15 degrees below the horizon. AIRPORT INFORMATIONAccording to FAA records, the six-seat, low-wing, retractable gear airplane was issued an airworthiness certificate in 1987 and was registered to Culbair LLC in 2007. It was powered by a Pratt and Whitney PT-6A-34 750-shaft horsepower engine. It was also driven by a 4-bladed Hartzell controllable pitch propeller. According to the airplane maintenance logbooks, the most recent annual inspection was performed on January 29, 2013, and at that time, it had accumulated 5904.4 hours of total time. In addition, at the time of the annual inspection the recorded hobbs time was 1516 hours. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane impacted trees approximately 30 feet agl and then impacted the ground inverted. The wreckage path from the initial component found on the ground to the main wreckage was about 2,000 feet long on a 220 degree heading. An odor similar to Jet A fuel was noted in the field where several components of the airplane were located and at the site of the main wreckage.

Nose Section

The engine cowling remained attached. The nose gear was in the retracted position. Three of the propeller blades remained attached to the propeller flange. The spinner remained attached to the propeller but was impact damaged. The forth propeller blade was located in dirt underneath the propeller flange and it exhibited S-bending. An undeterminable amount of fluid that smelled similar to Jet A fuel was drained from the header tank just aft of the firewall.

Engine

The engine remained attached to the firewall through wires and all engine mounts. Several power turbine blades were discovered on the ground underneath the engine. The exhaust area of the engine exhibited impact damage. The compressor turbine and power turbine blades exhibited rotational scoring. In addition the compressor turbine was rotated by hand and mechanical continuity was confirmed between the compressor and the accessory gear box. Also, rotational scoring was noted on the downstream side of the power turbine vanes. The oil and fuel filter were removed and no debris was noted. In addition oil was discovered in the oil filter housing and fuel was noted in the fuel filter housing. The magnetic chip detector was removed with no material noted on the magnetic poles. The compressor bleed valve was manually operated with no anomalies noted. The fuel pump was turned by hand with no anomalies noted. The fuel control housing was impact damaged but remained attached to the engine.

Right Wing

The outboard 10 foot section of the right wing was located along the debris path about 700 feet from the main wreckage in the field. The wing spar was bent in the negative direction. The inboard approximate 7 feet remained attached to the fuselage and exhibited crush damage about one foot from the fuselage. In addition, the inboard section of the flap remained attached to the wing. The outboard section of the flap separated from the wing but was co-located in the field where the outboard section of the right wing was located. The outboard section of the right aileron was separated from the wing and found in the field located 700 feet north of the main wreckage. The inboard section of the right aileron was separated from the wing and located 2,000 feet east northeast from the main wreckage, across the pond. The flap was in the retracted position. The outboard section of the wing contained an undeterminable amount of fuel. In addition, the fuel lines located in the inboard section of the right wing contained fuel. The right wing main fuel tank fuel cap remained attached, seated correctly, and locked in position. The right main landing gear remained attached to the right wing in the retracted position.

Tail Section

The aft section of the fuselage was separated at the aft pressure bulkhead. The left and right horizontal stabilizer were separated from the empennage and found in the field 700 feet from the main wreckage. The left and right elevator counterweights were separated from the elevator and found in the field. The left and right inboard sections of the elevator remained attached to each other and were found in the field. The left and right midsection of the elevator were separated and found along the debris path, on a road approximately 900 feet from the main wreckage. The rudder was found in the field located 700 feet from the main wreckage. The vertical stabilizer was located next to the road approximately 850 feet from the main wreckage. Cable continuity was confirmed from the base of the rudder pedals to the rudders through several cable fractures. All separations exhibited tensile overload. The pitch trim drum showed nine threads of upper shaft extension, which was consistent with a neutral trim setting. The leading edges of the left and right horizontal stabilizer were splayed open and exhibited impact damage. The tail cone was located near the aft portion of the main wreckage and was impact damaged. The two static ports located of the aft right side of the fuselage were free and clear of debris.

Left Wing

The outboard approximate 15 foot section of the left wing was found separated from the fuselage and located in a field about 700 feet from the main wreckage. The wing spar was bent in the negative direction. The inboard section of the left aileron remained attached to the outboard section of the wing. The outboard section of the aileron was separated from the wing and found in the field. The inboard approximate 4 foot section of...