NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On September 8, 2006, about 1433 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-23-160, N3082P, collided with terrain at Santa Maria, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot was killed; the airplane was destroyed. The personal cross-country flight departed the Santa Maria Public/Capt G Allan Hancock Field (SMX), Santa Maria, about 1430, with a planned destination of Kern Valley Airport (L05), Kernville, California. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

A Santa Maria tower controller reported that he cleared the pilot for a downwind departure from runway 30 at 1428. He observed the airplane depart, enter a left turn, and then depart the pattern. The controller had no further contact with the pilot.

A ground witness heard an airplane maneuvering, but could not see it because of low-lying clouds in the area. He said that the engines sounded steady and smooth. Then he heard the engines sound increase similar to an airshow performer during a roll. Then the engines sounds stopped abruptly. The witness got in his truck and drove into the hills on his ranch. He observed a cloud of dust, and found the wreckage. He estimated that the cloud base was about 200 to 300 feet above ground level (agl) in the hilly terrain.

Another witness reported that the engine sounds caught his attention. He observed the airplane exit the clouds in a very nose low attitude. He estimated the cloud base at 400 feet agl.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accident coordinator and the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) visited the Santa Barbara Terminal Radar Approach Control (Tracon) facility in Santa Barbara, California. A specialist played a video displaying air traffic during the time of the accident flight. A target with a secondary beacon code of 1200 was abeam the departure end of Santa Maria runway 30 about 1430. This target was heading approximately 120 degrees and climbing out of a mode C reported altitude of 2,100 feet mean sea level (msl). The target continued to climb as it also started a right turn. The target climbed and descended, gaining or losing altitude in 100-foot increments. On a heading of approximately 300 degrees, the target reached a mode C altitude of 2,500 feet, and then began descending and climbing in a left turn. It reached a peak mode C altitude of 2,800 feet, and went as low as 2,200 feet. The target began a right turn reaching 3,000 feet, and then stayed at 2,900 feet in a position that was approximately over the accident site. The last contact occurred at 1433.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

A review of FAA airman records revealed that the pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and multiengine land. The pilot did not possess an instrument rating.

The pilot held a third-class medical certificate issued on July 10, 2006. It had the limitation that the pilot must wear corrective lenses.

An examination of the pilot's logbook indicated that he had a total flight time of 824 hours. He logged 14.6 hours in the last 90 days, and 8.9 in the last 30 days. He had 477 hours in this make and model. He completed a biennial flight review on August 27, 2005.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a Piper PA-23-150, serial number 23-1002. A review of the airplane's logbooks revealed that the airplane had a total airframe time of 6,159.7 hours at the last annual inspection. The logbooks contained an entry for an annual inspection dated March 1, 2006.

The left engine was a Lycoming O-320-A3B, serial number 8581-27. Total time recorded on the engine at the last annual inspection was 4,909.4 hours, and time since major overhaul was 278.8 hours.

The right engine was a Lycoming O-320-A3B, serial number 8580-27. Total time recorded on the engine at the last annual inspection was 4,875.1 hours, and time since major overhaul was 251.9 hours.

METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS

The closest official weather observation station was SMX airport, which was 3 nautical miles (nm) north of the accident site. The elevation of the weather observation station was 261 feet msl. An aviation routine weather report (METAR) issued for SMX at 1451stated: winds from 240 degrees at 7 knots; visibility 6 miles; skies 1,400 feet overcast; temperature 18/64 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit; dew point 12/54 degrees Celsius/Fahrenheit; and altimeter 29.91 inches of mercury.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Investigators from the Safety Board and the FAA examined the wreckage at the accident scene. The airplane fragmented along a curved path on the downslope of hilly terrain at 600 feet elevation. The site was about 3 miles at 177 degrees from the Santa Maria airport.

The first identified point of contact (FIPC) was a ground scar that was about 2 feet wide initially and 20 feet long; it led to an impact crater that was about 6 feet in diameter and 2 feet deep. The ground scar broadened and continued to another impact crater about 10 feet away that was similar in dimensions to the first crater; this crater contained the left propeller.

The debris path curved about 30 degrees to the right, and continued down the ridgeline. The main wreckage pointed in a northerly direction, and consisted of the bottom half of the fuselage and the empennage. The empennage separated from the fuselage structure, but the control cables remained connected. The left engine was underneath the cabin structure; the right engine fragmented with its larger section just to the right side of the main wreckage. The smaller segment of the right engine consisted of the front section of the right crankcase along with the number one cylinder, a section of crankshaft, and the propeller assembly. This piece was a few feet on the left side of the main wreckage. One wheel was several hundred feet northwest of the main wreckage, and at the bottom of the hillside. Some debris pieces were north of the main wreckage, and in tree limbs that were about 600 feet down the ridgeline from the FIPC.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

The Santa Barbara County Coroner completed an autopsy. There was no toxicological testing of specimens of the pilot.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

Investigators from the FAA, Piper, and Textron Lycoming examined the wreckage at Aircraft Recovery Service, Littlerock, California, on October 11, 2006.

Airframe

The left wing separated into several pieces. The aileron remained attached to the center hinge on one section of the wing. The push/pull rod separated from the bellcrank assembly and the aileron. The bellcrank assembly separated, but remained attached to the aileron cable ends. The left flap separated; the push/pull actuator detached from the flap torque tube.

The right wing fragmented into several pieces. The aileron remained attached to the aft outboard section of the wing by the outboard hinge. The bellcrank assembly separated, but remained attached to the aileron cable ends. The push/pull rod separated from the bellcrank assembly and the aileron. The fracture surfaces were irregularly shaped. The right flap separated. The push/pull actuator detached from the flap torque tube; the fracture surface was angular and uneven.

The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer. The vertical stabilizer and rudder separated from the empennage. The rudder torque tube assembly separated from the rudder surface. Both rudder cables remained attached to the rudder torque tube horn assembly.

The horizontal stabilizer and elevator surfaces sustained mechanical crush damage, but remained attached to the tail section. The elevator control assembly tube was broken in several sections forward of the rear attach segment. The rear elevator control assembly segment remained attached to the torque tube. The torque tube remained attached to the left elevator, but detached from the right elevator.

The fuselage and forward cockpit enclosure was completely fragmented with the largest section being the roof. All forward cockpit controls separated at their attachment fittings. The flap torque tube assembly remained attached to the center section of the fuselage.

The forward aileron control cables ends were attached to the control chain assembly. The chain was broken. The left and right primary cables remained attached to the forward cable section by three crimped sleeves. The primary cables exhibited were stretched and separated in a broomstraw manner. The balance cable separated near its mid span in a broomstraw manner. The aileron bellcrank ends separated from the bellcrank. All broken ends remained attached to the four aileron cable ends.

Due to the mechanical damage, investigators could not determine that the positions of the landing gear, flaps, or fuel selector valves. The horizontal stabilizer trim measured 11 threads, which the manufacturer's investigator equated to trailing edge tab up. The rudder trim measured 1.1875 inches, which the manufacturer's investigator equated to trailing edge tab left.

Left Engine

The left engine sustained mechanical damage, and was displaced from the airframe at the engine mount. The oil sump, induction tubes, and exhaust system sustained mechanical damage.

Investigators removed the engine. They slung it from a hoist, and removed the top spark plugs. All spark plugs center electrodes were oval with no mechanical deformation. The spark plug electrodes were gray, which corresponded to normal operation according to the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug AV-27 Chart.

The left magneto remained attached to its mounting pad. The right magneto was displaced from its mounting pad. Investigators manually rotated the magnetos, and both magnetos produced spark at all posts.

The crankshaft separated between the front of the crankcase and the propeller flange. The circumferential fracture surface was angular with a shear lip. The propeller blades exhibited leading edge gouging, chordwise striations on the cambered face, and trailing edge S-bending.

A borescope inspection revealed no mechanical deformation on the valves, cylinder walls, or internal cylinder head.

The crankshaft would not rotate. The engine damage facilitated examination of the engine's internal components. Investigators noted no discoloration of internal metal components. The camshaft and other internal components appeared unremarkable. Removal of the accessory case cover revealed no damage to the gears.

The carburetor remained attached to its mounting pad, which separated from the engine. The fracture surfaces were jagged. The carburetor bowl was displaced, and the floats sustained mechanical damage. The fuel pump was displaced from the engine. Disassembly revealed that it was free of obstructions, and the rubber diaphragm was unbroken.

Right Engine

The oil sump, induction system, and exhaust system sustained mechanical damage and were displaced. A front section of the crankcase along with the number one cylinder, a section of crankshaft, and the propeller assembly separated as a unit. The fracture surfaces were jagged. The accessory case partially fragmented, and the bottom was displaced. The oil cooler, oil suction screen, and oil filter sustained severe impact damage.

The propeller blades remained attached to the hub. The blades exhibited leading edge gouges and chordwise striations across the cambered surface. One blade exhibited twist toward the low pitch, high revolution per minute (rpm) position, and trailing edge S-bending.

Investigators removed the engine. They slung it from a hoist, and removed the top spark plugs. All spark plugs center electrodes were oval with no mechanical deformation. The electrodes for cylinders number two and four were oily. Cylinders number one and three were gray, which corresponded to normal operation according to the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug AV-27 Chart.

Both magnetos remained attached to their mounting pads. Investigators manually rotated the magnetos, and both magnetos produced spark at all posts.

A borescope inspection revealed no mechanical deformation on the valves, cylinder walls, or internal cylinder head.

The engine damage facilitated examination of the engine's internal components. Investigators noted no discoloration of internal metal components. The camshaft and other internal components appeared unremarkable. Removal of the accessory case cover revealed no damage to the gears.

The carburetor remained attached to its mounting pad, which was displaced from the engine. The fracture surface was jagged.

The fuel pump was displaced, and not located. A portion of the mounting flange remained attached to its mounting pad; the fracture surface was jagged.

NTSB Probable Cause

The non-instrument rated pilot's decision to continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions resulting in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.