N6177W

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 22, 2018, at 0728 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N6177W, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Chesapeake Regional Airport (CPK), Chesapeake, Virginia. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was owned by the pilot who was operating it as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed about 0726 and was destined for Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York.

The pilot's spouse reported that, for about 7 years, the pilot had commuted to FRG from CPK for work, and the accident flight was the flight to return to work. She reported that the night before the accident, the pilot called the fixed based operator at CPK to have the fuel tanks topped off. During the pilot's preflight inspection of the airplane on the morning of the accident, she observed the pilot walk around the airplane, sampled both fuel tanks, and remove the cover from the pitot probe on the left wing. She commented to the pilot that it was foggy, and the pilot stated to her that, "as long as I can see the runway, I'll be fine."

The pilot started the engine and taxied to the runway with the airplane lights operating. She reported that she heard the pilot perform an engine run-up and that the engine "sounded like a good running engine." Subsequently, she observed the airplane take off and shortly thereafter enter the clouds; about 2 to 3 minutes later, she heard an engine "revving noise." The pilot made no mention of any maintenance issues to her, nor was she aware of any recent maintenance performed on the airplane before the flight.

Review of air traffic control communications provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) revealed that, at 0704, while on the ground at CPK, the pilot requested an IFR clearance via telephone. He was issued instructions to fly a heading of 050° and maintain 3,000 ft after departure. The pilot called back at 0724, advising the controller that he was ready for takeoff. The controller issued him a clearance void time of 0729, and the pilot informed him he would be airborne within 3 minutes. There were no further communications received from the pilot.

Review of radar data provided by the FAA revealed that the airplane departed runway 23 at 0726:40, climbed to about 350 ft mean sea level (msl) on a southwest ground track and began a right turn at 0727:11. The airplane continued turning right and completed a 360° right turn, during which it rapidly descended to 75 ft msl (about 60 ft above the ground) then climbed to 600 ft msl. The last radar return, recorded at 0728:04, was about 1/4 mile from the accident site, and showed the airplane at 375 ft msl on a heading of 297° at 42 knots groundspeed. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to FAA airman records, the pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land and instrument airplane. He also held a remote pilot certificate for small unmanned aircraft system and a control tower operator certificate. The pilot was issued an FAA second-class medical certificate on October 17, 2017. At that time, the pilot reported civil flight experience that included 2,100 total hours and 160 hours in the preceding 6 months. The pilot's most recent logbook was not located and according to the pilot's wife, the pilot routinely carried the logbook with him in the airplane. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a 4-seat, single-engine, low-wing airplane manufactured in 1964. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E2A engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed in January 2018, which noted an airframe time of 4,322.4 hours, a tachometer time of 1,927 hours, and 2,329.4 hours since major engine overhaul. The tachometer was not located in the wreckage.

According to FAA airworthiness records, the airplane was equipped with a primary attitude indicator, which was powered by the engine driven-vacuum pump and mounted on the left side of the cockpit instrument panel. The airplane was also equipped with an electrically-powered attitude indicator mounted on the right side of the cockpit. The airworthiness records also showed that the airplane was equipped with a Precise Flight Standby Vacuum System Model V.

The standby vacuum system's manual stated in part:

The Standby Vacuum System connects easily to the aircraft powerplant intake manifold, electrical system and the instrument vacuum supply. In the event of an engine driven vacuum pump failure, The Precise Flight Standby Vacuum System allows the use of engine intake vacuum, in conjunction with a flight tested operating procedure, to supply vacuum to the primary aircraft instruments.

The standby vacuum system's manual further stated that, in the event of a loss of primary vacuum air pressure, the standby system could be manually activated by the pilot via a pull knob in the cockpit. The system also included a primary vacuum failure warning light mounted next to the primary attitude indicator. The airplane was equipped with a vacuum pressure gauge.

A copy of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that, on February 7, 2017, a discrepancy was noted with an inoperative dry-air vacuum pump. The record stated that a dry-air pump, part number 211CC, serial number 126363, was replaced with a new dry-air vacuum pump, RAP 215CC, serial number A62097, which was not the pump found in the wreckage. The maintenance records located contained no other entries or invoices regarding the installation of an Aero Accessories AA3215CC replacement vacuum pump.

According to the airplane's owner manual, the aerodynamic stall speed with flaps extended was 47 knots. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe weather conditions reported at CPK at 0715 included visibility of 1/4 mile in fog, an overcast ceiling at 200 ft above ground level (agl), wind from 070° at 3 knots, temperature 19°C, and dew point 18°C. Additional review of the CPK weather observations reflected IFR conditions during the early morning, with low IFR conditions due to low overcast clouds and dense fog prevailing from 0355 through 1055, with gradual improvement to IFR and marginal visual flight rules conditions by 1155.

Review of the High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) numerical model sounding for 0700 depicted a surface temperature of 20°C and a dew point of 19°C with a 98% relative humidity. The sounding indicated conditions favorable for fog. The lifted condensation level (LCL) and level of free convection (LFC) were at 169 ft agl, with expected overcast cloud tops to 3,600 ft and broken clouds with tops near 9,000 ft agl.

Review of the United States Naval Observatory's website showed sunrise at 0552. At the time of the accident, the sun was 17° above the horizon at an azimuth of 77°.

According to Leidos Flight Service, the pilot filed an IFR flight plan over the telephone, and

during the call, he declined a weather briefing. Therefore, the specific weather products the pilot had reviewed regarding the flight could not be determined. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a 4-seat, single-engine, low-wing airplane manufactured in 1964. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-E2A engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed in January 2018, which noted an airframe time of 4,322.4 hours, a tachometer time of 1,927 hours, and 2,329.4 hours since major engine overhaul. The tachometer was not located in the wreckage.

According to FAA airworthiness records, the airplane was equipped with a primary attitude indicator, which was powered by the engine driven-vacuum pump and mounted on the left side of the cockpit instrument panel. The airplane was also equipped with an electrically-powered attitude indicator mounted on the right side of the cockpit. The airworthiness records also showed that the airplane was equipped with a Precise Flight Standby Vacuum System Model V.

The standby vacuum system's manual stated in part:

The Standby Vacuum System connects easily to the aircraft powerplant intake manifold, electrical system and the instrument vacuum supply. In the event of an engine driven vacuum pump failure, The Precise Flight Standby Vacuum System allows the use of engine intake vacuum, in conjunction with a flight tested operating procedure, to supply vacuum to the primary aircraft instruments.

The standby vacuum system's manual further stated that, in the event of a loss of primary vacuum air pressure, the standby system could be manually activated by the pilot via a pull knob in the cockpit. The system also included a primary vacuum failure warning light mounted next to the primary attitude indicator. The airplane was equipped with a vacuum pressure gauge.

A copy of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that, on February 7, 2017, a discrepancy was noted with an inoperative dry-air vacuum pump. The record stated that a dry-air pump, part number 211CC, serial number 126363, was replaced with a new dry-air vacuum pump, RAP 215CC, serial number A62097, which was not the pump found in the wreckage. The maintenance records located contained no other entries or invoices regarding the installation of an Aero Accessories AA3215CC replacement vacuum pump.

According to the airplane's owner manual, the aerodynamic stall speed with flaps extended was 47 knots. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane came to rest upright in a flat, open field, oriented on a magnetic heading of 325°, about 3/4 nautical mile southwest of CPK. The airplane sustained extensive impact damage and evidence of a postimpact fire. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the accident site. Flight control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit area. The stabilator trim drum was measured and correlated to a slight nose-up trim setting.

The flap handle was found in the ...