N610MH

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn June 17, 2014, at 0903 eastern daylight time, a Columbia LC-41-550FG, N610MH, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in a residential area, and was subsequently consumed by postcrash fire, while maneuvering near East Patchogue, New York. The private pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions were reported near the accident site, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Farmingdale Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York, at 0850, and was destined for Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP), Islip, New York. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating. His most recent third-class FAA medical certificate was issued April 22, 2013. The pilot's logbooks were not recovered and no determination could be made of his flight experience in the accident airplane make and model; however, he reported a total flight experience of 1,200 hours on his most recent medical certificate application. The pilot's most recent flight review was conducted on August 26, 2013. According to the flight instructor who conducted the review, the pilot had never received any formal training on the airplane's Garmin G1000 avionics system. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe low-wing, single engine, carbon fiber construction airplane was manufactured in 2006, and registered to the pilot in October 2008. It was equipped with a Continental Motors TSIO-550C, 310 hp turbocharged, reciprocating engine and a Hartzell 3-bladed, constant-speed propeller. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on July 5, 2013, at a total aircraft time of 321.8 hours. The airplane's maintenance logbooks were not recovered, and complete maintenance history for the airplane could not be determined.

According to manufacturer and FAA airworthiness records, the airplane was equipped with a Garmin G1000 system, which was comprised of dual LCD primary and multifunction flight displays that provided information about the airplane's altitude, airspeed, attitude, engine parameters, and navigation and communication systems status, as well as a moving map display. The airplane was equipped with a backup altimeter, attitude indicator, and airspeed indicator instruments. The G1000 also included an integrated automatic flight control, or autopilot, system that had the capability to control the airplane in the roll, pitch, and yaw axes. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe 0753 weather observation at FRG included wind from 200 degrees at 4 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, and clear skies.

The 0853 weather observation at FRG included wind from 210 degrees at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, and broken clouds at 10,000 feet.

The 0807 weather observation at ISP, located about 6 nautical miles (nm) west of the accident site, included wind from 190 degrees at 8 knots, 7 statute miles visibility, broken cloud layers at 700 feet and 11,000 feet, and an overcast ceiling at 13,000 feet.

The 0856 weather observation at ISP included wind from 220 at 8 knots, 7 statute miles visibility, and overcast clouds at 700 feet.

The 0756 weather observation at Brookhaven Airport (HWV), Brookhaven, New York, located about 5 nm east of the accident site, included wind from 190 degrees at 8 knots, 6 statute miles visibility, mist, and an overcast cloud layer at 700 feet.

The 0856 weather observation at HWV included 6 statute miles visibility, mist, and overcast clouds at 500 feet.

A terminal aerodrome forecast (TAF) for ISP, issued at 0741, forecast conditions at 0800 with visibility better than 6 statute miles, scattered clouds at 700 feet and 13,000 feet, and a broken cloud layer at 25,000 feet. An amended TAF for ISP, issued at 0854, forecast visibility greater than 6 statute miles, with broken cloud layers at 700 feet, 13,000 feet, and 25,000 feet.

A rawinsonde (weather balloon) launched from the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Upton, New York (KOKX), located about 6.5 miles northeast of the accident site, about 0800 EDT, indicated that the relative humidity decreased from 95% to 75% between about 1,050 feet and about 1,330 feet above ground level (agl). This suggested a visible cloud boundary between these altitudes at the rawinsonde's location at that time.

The pilot of a multi-engine airplane departed FRG for New Jersey about 20 minutes prior to the accident airplane's departure. He stated that after departure, he climbed to an altitude about 1,000 feet and flew south towards the Long Island shoreline. As he neared the shoreline, the weather began to deteriorate "rapidly" and he began to lose visibility. He elected to return to FRG and land due to the weather conditions.

The pilot of a single-engine airplane reported that he and a student conducted a flight from Bridgeport, Connecticut (BDR), to ISP on the morning of the accident, and conducted an instrument approach at ISP about 0920. He stated that the weather conditions between BDR and ISP were consistent, with ceilings about 700 feet above ground level and cloud tops around 1,500 feet. He further stated that they experienced visual meteorological conditions at their cruise altitude of 2,000 feet after climbing through the cloud layer. He remarked that the weather conditions predicted in that morning's TAF were better than the actual conditions experienced in the area on the day of the accident. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe low-wing, single engine, carbon fiber construction airplane was manufactured in 2006, and registered to the pilot in October 2008. It was equipped with a Continental Motors TSIO-550C, 310 hp turbocharged, reciprocating engine and a Hartzell 3-bladed, constant-speed propeller. The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on July 5, 2013, at a total aircraft time of 321.8 hours. The airplane's maintenance logbooks were not recovered, and complete maintenance history for the airplane could not be determined.

According to manufacturer and FAA airworthiness records, the airplane was equipped with a Garmin G1000 system, which was comprised of dual LCD primary and multifunction flight displays that provided information about the airplane's altitude, airspeed, attitude, engine parameters, and navigation and communication systems status, as well as a moving map display. The airplane was equipped with a backup altimeter, attitude indicator, and airspeed indicator instruments. The G1000 also included an integrated automatic flight control, or autopilot, system that had the capability to control the airplane in the roll, pitch, and yaw axes. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane's initial impact point was identified as a tree about 25 feet in height that displayed numerous broken and angularly-cut branches. The wreckage path extended about 185 feet from the tree on a magnetic heading of approximately 223 degrees. The propeller, various engine components, and pieces associated with both left and right wings were located along the wreckage path. The main wreckage, comprised of the engine, cabin area, and empennage, came to rest in the backyard of a residence, and was completely consumed by post-impact fire. The extensive thermal damage precluded examination of the cockpit instruments, flight control surfaces, and control tubes.

The three-bladed propeller, along with the crankshaft propeller flange, was separated from the engine and located along the wreckage path. One blade was fractured near the propeller hub; the other two blades exhibited s-bending, leading edge gouging, and chordwise scratching.

The engine exhibited significant thermal damage, and several of its accessories were separated during the impact sequence. Removal and inspection of one spark plug from each cylinder revealed thermal damage and light-colored combustion deposits. The crankshaft was seized, consistent with the observed thermal damage, and could not be rotated by hand. Borescope examination of the cylinders revealed no anomalies. Only one magneto was recovered, and exhibited significant thermal and impact damage. COMMUNICATIONSInformation provided by Lockheed Martin Flight Service revealed that the pilot placed a phone call to the flight service station at 0630 the morning of the accident and received an abbreviated briefing. The pilot indicated that he would be departing FRG for ISP at 0730, and inquired whether the conditions were "good VFR [visual flight rules]." The briefer advised the pilot of a presidential temporary flight restriction for the area that would be effective later that day, and asked when the pilot would be returning to FRG. The pilot replied that he would return to FRG by 0900. The briefer then provided local notice to airmen (NOTAM) information and advised the pilot of the current cloud ceilings and visibilities at FRG and ISP, which included 9 miles visibility and few clouds at 7,000 feet, and 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 6,500 feet, scattered clouds at 9,000 feet, and an overcast ceiling at 26,000 feet, respectively. The briefer did not provide, nor did the pilot request, forecast conditions for either airport.

Official recordings of air traffic control communications provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that the pilot contacted FRG ground control at 0840, and was cleared for takeoff from runway 14 at 0850. At 0854, the pilot requested a frequency change and subsequently contacted the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) facility, who provided him with another frequency for the appropriate TRACON controller based on his position and route of flight. The pilot contacted the second controller at 0859. When the controller asked the pilot to state his position, the pilot replied that he had departed FRG and stated, "I need your help sir." About 0901, the controller queried the pilot ...