N9032P

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 16, 2015, about 1231 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260 airplane, N9032P, impacted terrain near Spring Branch, Texas. The pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed during the impact and subsequent ground fire. The airplane was registered to an individual and was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as personal flight. Day visual flight rules conditions prevailed for the flight, which did not operate on a flight plan. The local flight was originating from the Kestrel Airpark (1T7), near Spring Branch, Texas, at the time of the accident.

A witness at 1T7 saw the accident airplane taxi from the common area/hangars on the north taxiway and saw it headed to runway 12. There was a strong quartering headwind for runway 12. The witness estimated the wind was 20 knots sustained, gusting 25-30 knots. He watched the accident airplane's takeoff roll. The aircraft climbed and was about 20-30 feet in the air when it was abeam the witness. The aircraft's nose dropped for a couple seconds after it passed him. It then started climbing out and the witness saw and heard the landing gear retracting. The airplane was about 100 feet above the ground. The aircraft then looked like it weathervaned into the wind and continued climbing to about 200-300 feet above the ground. At that point, the witness stopped watching the airplane. He stated that he did not notice anything fall off the airplane or anything unusual about the appearance of sound of the airplane during its taxi by and its takeoff.

The airplane banked left during the takeoff, descended, and impacted terrain nose down near a store parking lot. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe 38-year-old pilot held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and multi engine land ratings. He held a FAA airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate. A review of FAA records show that the pilot's last medical examination was completed on March 29, 2010, when he was issued a first-class medical certificate with no limitations. On the application for that medical certificate, the pilot reported that he had accumulated 96 hours of total flight time.

According to reviewed FAA records, the pilot first applied for a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine rating on January 5, 2007, and received a disapproval notice for airport and seaplane base operations, emergency operations. He reapplied on January 10, 2007, and he was issued a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. On May 21, 2014, he applied for a private pilot certificate with an airplane multiengine rating and he received a disapproval notice for not properly identifying the failed engine during a simulated emergency first. The pilot reapplied on November 6, 2014, and he was issued a private pilot certificate with an airplane multiengine land rating. On that reapplication, he indicated that he had accumulated 122.1 hours of total flight time in airplanes of which 44.6 hours was pilot in command flight time and 10.6 hours was instrument flight time. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONN9032P, a 1966 model Piper PA-24-260, Comanche, serial number 24-4494, was an all-metal airplane with semimonocoque fuselage and empennage construction. The airplane's type certificate data indicated that it seated four and had a maximum gross weight of 3,100 pounds. The airplane was powered by a 260-horsepower, six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air cooled, fuel injected engine, normally aspirated engine, with a data plate marked as Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, serial number L-3449-48. The engine left half's serial number was stamped as L-10556-40. The left case match number was not discernable and the right case match number was stamped as 51154-3. The airplane was equipped with wing flaps, a two-bladed constant speed Hartzell propeller, and retractable tricycle landing gear. The propeller was a HC-C2YK-1BF/F8467-7R model with serial number CH23698, which propeller manufacturer records show was originally built on November 6, 1978, for Piper.

A receipt showed that the airplane was serviced at 1T7 with 49.7 gallons of aviation gasoline (avgas) on May 16, 2015 at 1059.

N9032P was involved in a ground accident in November of 2013. The airplane's left wing impacted a hangar and it sustained damage. The airplane was salvaged, bought by several parties, and was subsequently sold to the pilot.

Available accident airplane's logbooks were reviewed at the pilot's hangar. Endorsements showed that an annual inspection was completed on September 3, 2012. According to these records, the serial number of the engine installed at that time was L-3447-48. The airplane had accumulated a total time of 8,690.9 hours at that time and the indicated engine accumulated 1,917.7 hours of time since a major overhaul.

According to engine manufacturer's safety representative, the IO-540-D4A5 engine with serial number L-3449-48 was returned to Lycoming Engines Facilities in July of 2012. That engine was overhauled and it was converted to an IO-540-C4B5. That overhauled engine was sent to the field and it was installed on a Piper Aztec.

An undated FAA 8050-2 Aircraft Bill of Sale form along with an unstamped envelope addressed to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch were also observed in the hangar. That form contained a former owner's name and the pilot's name along with both their signatures. Additionally, invoices for airplane parts and mechanic's notes that indicated parts and maintenance manual references were found in the hangar. These items were consistent with a structural wing repair, engine overhaul, and routine maintenance. However, recent airplane logbooks were not found within the hangar that documented the airplane's repair, inspections since the ground accident, and flight time since the ground accident. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1206, the recorded weather at the San Antonio International Airport (SAT), near San Antonio, Texas, was: Wind 150 degrees at 13 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; sky condition scattered clouds at 2,200 feet, broken clouds at 3,000 feet, broken clouds at 4,300 feet; temperature 27 degrees C; dew point 22 degrees; altimeter 29.88 inches of mercury.

At 1251, the recorded weather at SAT was: Wind 160 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 22 knots; visibility 9 statute miles; sky condition scattered clouds at 2,300 feet, broken clouds at 3,700 feet, broken clouds at 4,800 feet; temperature 28 degrees C; dew point 22 degrees; altimeter 29.86 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONN9032P, a 1966 model Piper PA-24-260, Comanche, serial number 24-4494, was an all-metal airplane with semimonocoque fuselage and empennage construction. The airplane's type certificate data indicated that it seated four and had a maximum gross weight of 3,100 pounds. The airplane was powered by a 260-horsepower, six-cylinder, horizontally opposed, air cooled, fuel injected engine, normally aspirated engine, with a data plate marked as Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, serial number L-3449-48. The engine left half's serial number was stamped as L-10556-40. The left case match number was not discernable and the right case match number was stamped as 51154-3. The airplane was equipped with wing flaps, a two-bladed constant speed Hartzell propeller, and retractable tricycle landing gear. The propeller was a HC-C2YK-1BF/F8467-7R model with serial number CH23698, which propeller manufacturer records show was originally built on November 6, 1978, for Piper.

A receipt showed that the airplane was serviced at 1T7 with 49.7 gallons of aviation gasoline (avgas) on May 16, 2015 at 1059.

N9032P was involved in a ground accident in November of 2013. The airplane's left wing impacted a hangar and it sustained damage. The airplane was salvaged, bought by several parties, and was subsequently sold to the pilot.

Available accident airplane's logbooks were reviewed at the pilot's hangar. Endorsements showed that an annual inspection was completed on September 3, 2012. According to these records, the serial number of the engine installed at that time was L-3447-48. The airplane had accumulated a total time of 8,690.9 hours at that time and the indicated engine accumulated 1,917.7 hours of time since a major overhaul.

According to engine manufacturer's safety representative, the IO-540-D4A5 engine with serial number L-3449-48 was returned to Lycoming Engines Facilities in July of 2012. That engine was overhauled and it was converted to an IO-540-C4B5. That overhauled engine was sent to the field and it was installed on a Piper Aztec.

An undated FAA 8050-2 Aircraft Bill of Sale form along with an unstamped envelope addressed to the FAA Aircraft Registration Branch were also observed in the hangar. That form contained a former owner's name and the pilot's name along with both their signatures. Additionally, invoices for airplane parts and mechanic's notes that indicated parts and maintenance manual references were found in the hangar. These items were consistent with a structural wing repair, engine overhaul, and routine maintenance. However, recent airplane logbooks were not found within the hangar that documented the airplane's repair, inspections since the ground accident, and flight time since the ground accident. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONA postaccident on-scene investigation was conducted. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. The airplane came to rest on terrain and on top of a retaining wall adjacent to a store parking lot about 1/4 mile and 22 degrees magnetic from the intersection of US Highway 281 North and Flightline Drive. The airplane's left wing separated from its fuselage and it was found resting on the retaining wall. The left wing exhibited an outboard skin section that was not painted. This section was consistent with a wing skin replacement. The unpainted ...