N5985U

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 11, 2015, about 1415 eastern daylight time, a privately owned and operated Piper PA-28-140, N5985U, was substantially damaged when it collided with trees and terrain after takeoff from Air Harbor Airport (W88), Greensboro, North Carolina. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.

On the day of the accident, the pilot had rented the airplane from the owner/operator. A witness observed the pilot start the airplane and taxi to an area near the end of runway 27 where he performed an engine run-up. Two witnesses reported that the takeoff sounded normal; however, they did not hear the airplane continue around the airport traffic pattern. As a result, one of the witnesses drove to the end of runway 27 where he found the wreckage. He approached the airplane and saw that fuel was flowing out of the wing area. He then called 911. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on January 20, 2014. According to the pilot's records, he had accrued about 359 total hours of flight experience, 63 of which were in the accident airplane make and model. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a single-engine, unpressurized, low-wing monoplane manufactured in 1970. It was manufactured using conventional metal construction. It was equipped with tricycle landing gear and wing flaps and was powered by a 4-cylinder, 150 horsepower, Lycoming O-320-E2A, air-cooled engine, which drove a metal, two-bladed, fixed-pitch Sensenich propeller.

According to the individual listed on the airplane's registration at the time of the accident, he sold the airplane on August 21, 2013 to the owner/operator. Review of FAA records revealed that, at the time of the accident (approximately 1 1/2 years later), the owner/operator still had not registered the airplane.

When asked about the reason for the sale of the airplane, the previous owner advised that "it had been sitting for several years without flying." A review of the airplane's maintenance records indicated that the last annual inspection performed before the sale, occurred on January 3, 2008, at 3,690.9 total hours of operation. The first annual inspection performed after the sale occurred on January 1, 2014, at 3,709.4 total hours of operation.

The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on January 6, 2015. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued 3,787.86 total hours of operation, and the engine had accrued 1,466.86 hours since major overhaul. In addition, the airplane had been operated about 11 hours since the inspection. Review of the rental sheet for the airplane indicated that the engine run for the annual inspection did not occur until January 21, 2015, and was 6 minutes (0.1 hour) in duration. Further review of maintenance records indicated that, at the time of the accident, the transponder inspection was out of date, and FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2010-15-10, which required inspection of the control wheel shafts, had not been accomplished. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe 1354 recorded weather at Piedmont Triad International Airport (GSO), Greensboro, North Carolina, located 8 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, included: calm winds, 10 statute miles visibility, few clouds at 15,000 ft above ground level, temperature 9°C, dew point -1°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a single-engine, unpressurized, low-wing monoplane manufactured in 1970. It was manufactured using conventional metal construction. It was equipped with tricycle landing gear and wing flaps and was powered by a 4-cylinder, 150 horsepower, Lycoming O-320-E2A, air-cooled engine, which drove a metal, two-bladed, fixed-pitch Sensenich propeller.

According to the individual listed on the airplane's registration at the time of the accident, he sold the airplane on August 21, 2013 to the owner/operator. Review of FAA records revealed that, at the time of the accident (approximately 1 1/2 years later), the owner/operator still had not registered the airplane.

When asked about the reason for the sale of the airplane, the previous owner advised that "it had been sitting for several years without flying." A review of the airplane's maintenance records indicated that the last annual inspection performed before the sale, occurred on January 3, 2008, at 3,690.9 total hours of operation. The first annual inspection performed after the sale occurred on January 1, 2014, at 3,709.4 total hours of operation.

The airplane's most recent annual inspection was completed on January 6, 2015. At the time of the inspection, the airplane had accrued 3,787.86 total hours of operation, and the engine had accrued 1,466.86 hours since major overhaul. In addition, the airplane had been operated about 11 hours since the inspection. Review of the rental sheet for the airplane indicated that the engine run for the annual inspection did not occur until January 21, 2015, and was 6 minutes (0.1 hour) in duration. Further review of maintenance records indicated that, at the time of the accident, the transponder inspection was out of date, and FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) 2010-15-10, which required inspection of the control wheel shafts, had not been accomplished. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONExamination of the accident site revealed that, after takeoff from runway 27, the airplane turned left, descended, and then struck approximately 65 foot high trees, about 400 feet from the end of the runway. The airplane first made contact with the trees about 45 ft above ground level, then dropped to the forest floor, coming to rest on its left side wedged between two trees on a magnetic heading of 192° at an elevation of approximately 769 feet msl.

The fuselage exhibited multiple areas of crush and compression damage, and the aft fuselage had been bent about 45° to the left during the impact sequence. The cabin was mostly intact. Examination of the restraint system revealed that the airplane had been equipped with lap belts but was not equipped with shoulder harnesses.

The left wing exhibited crush and compression damage on the leading edges and compression damage at the inboard trailing edge. It remained intact, with the exception of an approximate 4-ft long outboard section that had been separated from the left wing during the impact with trees.

The right wing was almost completely separated from the fuselage at the wing root, and it exhibited impact damage in several places, including a large depressed area at approximately mid-span, where the wing skin had been crushed aft to the wing spar.

The rudder and stabilator remained attached to their mounting points and moved freely. Internal examination of the rudder revealed the presence of wasp nests.

The stall warning vane was in place and operated normally when checked with a volt/ohm meter.

Examination of the instrument panel and flight controls revealed that the throttle was in the full power position, the mixture control was full rich, and the carburetor heat was off. The fuel primer was in and locked. The auxiliary electric fuel pump was "ON." The airspeed indicator needle indicated about 66 knots. The tachometer indicated about 1,100 rpm. The flap handle was in the flaps-retracted position and flight control continuity was established from the ailerons, stabilator, and rudder to the cockpit controls.

Examination of the propeller revealed that the propeller spinner exhibited crush damage on the tip. One side of the spinner and the propeller remained partially attached to the crankshaft flange. The flange was bent and three propeller bolts were broken. One propeller blade was bent aft about 10° about mid-span. The other propeller blade was bent aft about 30° about mid-span. Its tip was bent forward about 10°. There was no evidence of leading edge gouging or chordwise scratching on either blade.

The engine remained attached to the firewall at its mount. The engine was removed from the firewall, suspended from a lift, and partially disassembled to facilitate examination. The drivetrain was rotated and continuity from the crankshaft to the rear gears and valve train was confirmed. Compression and suction were observed on all four cylinders. The interiors of the cylinders were examined using a lighted borescope and no anomalies were noted. Both magnetos produced spark when rotated. The spark plugs appeared normal with the exception of the No. 2 cylinder's bottom spark plug, which was impact-damaged. Oil was present in the engine, and both the oil suction screen and oil filter were clean absent of debris.

The carburetor remained attached to the engine. It was removed and partially disassembled, and about 2 teaspoons of fuel were observed in the float bowl. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was absent of debris and the carburetor internal components were undamaged. The engine-driven fuel pump remained attached to the engine and was impact-damaged. The pump was removed and partially disassembled. A small amount of fuel drained from the pump when it was tilted. No damage to the rubber pump diaphragms or check valves was noted.

The fuel strainer and electric fuel pump were removed and disassembled; both were devoid of fuel. The strainer and pump fuel screens contained no debris.

The fuel selector valve handle was found in the right tank position. The fuel selector valve was then removed from the airplane. With the handle in the right tank position, air was applied to the selector valve but would not pass through the valve. Subsequent attempts to manipulate the selector valve revealed that ...