NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On March 30, 2013, about 2000 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA28-140, N55093, registered to the pilot, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain while maneuvering in the vicinity of Castle Rock, Colorado. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. Dusk visual meteorological conditions prevailed in the vicinity and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight that was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated at 1715 from the Sandia Airpark Estes East Airport (1N1), Albuquerque, New Mexico, and its planned destination was Centennial Airport (APA), Denver, Colorado. The purpose of the flight was transport the airplane from California back to Denver, as the pilot had relocated from California to Denver about one month prior to the accident.

According to radar data provided by the FAA, the airplane's flight was on a course directly to its planned destination of APA. About 18 miles southwest of APA, the radar track showed the airplane make several turns off its track, then resume its track toward the airport. Weather radar images showed that the airplane was flying in between two areas of convective storm activity. Radar contact was lost about 16 miles from APA about 8,000 feet MSL (about 1,500 feet AGL). No distress calls were heard from the pilot.

A local resident reported hearing the sound of an airplane engine revving, but he did not see the accident. The wreckage of the airplane was found in a ranch pasture by a local ranch worker on the morning of March 31, 2013.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single engine land rating. According to flight log book entries, he had accumulated about 115 hours of total flight time, with 15 hours in the make and model of the accident airplane and 12 total hours of night time. He held a valid FAA 3rd Class medical certificate, dated April 20, 2010.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The 1973 model Piper PA-28-140 airplane, serial number 28-7325321, had about 2.650 total airframe hours. Its last annual inspection was completed on November 20, 2012, at 2,596 airframe hours. The airplane was equipped with a Lycoming O-320-E3D engine, serial number L-33470-27A. The engine had about 697 hours since its most recent overhaul. According to registration records, the pilot purchased the airplane in December or 2012.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Two residents in the vicinity of the accident reported that they observed strong surface wind gusts and a drop in temperature, about the time of the accident occurred.

Resident 1 was located at:

LAT: 39 degrees, 17 minutes 18 seconds North. LONG: 104 degrees 46 minutes 32 seconds West.

Resident 2 was located at:

LAT: 39 degrees, 18 minutes 2 seconds North. LONG: 104 degrees 45 minutes 46 seconds West.

The airplane wreckage was located at:

LAT: 39 degrees 18.209 minutes North. LONG: 104 degrees 45.332 minutes West

The radar flight track showed the airplane flying directly in between two areas of convective weather activity. According to the NTSB meteorologist, the area of the convective activity was dissipating on either side of the flight track and outflow at/near the surface was consistent with the dissipating stage of storms.

Surface weather observation stations in the region of the convective activity reported surface wind gusts up to the high 20's/low 30's in miles-per-hour near the time of the accident. Thermodynamic profiles of the area would be supportive of some outflow and consistent with the statements of the residents near the accident, who described strong surface wind gusts and drop in temperature.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

Fuselage

The forward fuselage section sustained extensive ground impact damage and was mostly destroyed and the damage was consistent with a nose low, near vertical impact. The forward fuselage and firewall section was separated from the fuselage enclosure and the nose landing gear assembly remained partially attached to the engine mount assembly. Both aileron cables remained attached to the aileron chain assembly and the chain was broken due to overload. The stabilator control cables remained attached to the bottom of the tee bar assembly. Both rudder control cables remained attached to the rudder tube link assembly.

The center fuselage section sustained extensive ground impact damage and was mostly destroyed. The front seats separated from the floorboard and were destroyed and the inboard seat belts remained attached to the structure. The outboard seat belts were not observed. One shoulder harness remained attached to the upper fuselage section. The flap handle assembly remained attached to the floor assembly but was damaged from impact. The flap handle was found beyond the 40-degree detent.

The throttle and mixture control levers were found separated from the instrument panel assembly and were mostly destroyed. The cabin heat and defroster controls were impact damaged. The carburetor heat valve sustained impact damage. The ignition switch was separated from the panel due to impact. The ignition key was found broken in the ignition switch and the switch was in the 'BOTH" position. The fuel selector valve remained attached to the fuselage enclosure. Both the left and right fuel tank lines separated from the valve. The valve was removed and visually examined. The valve was tested by blowing air through the engine port. The valve was found to be in the left fuel tank position.

The exhaust muffler and shroud assembly sustained impact damage and was crushed. No staining or cracks were observed in either the shroud or muffler assembly. An internal view of the muffler did not reveal any cracks or broken baffling.

Left Wing

The left wing remained partially attached to the center fuselage section and sustained extensive ground impact damage. The wing exhibited accordion type aft crushing along the entire leading edge wing span consistent with a nose low vertical impact. The fuel tank was ruptured and contained no fuel. The fuel tank and wing skins exhibited bulging signatures consistent with that of hydraulic effect. The wing outboard section had been cut off between the flap and aileron surface by recovery personnel. Both aileron control cables remained attached to the bellcrank assembly. The balance cable was found cut near it's attach fitting during the recovery process.

The aileron remained attached to the outboard wing section and the aileron push/pull rod was separated at the rod end fitting. The fitting remained attached to the aileron. The aileron counterweight had separated from the surface and was not observed during the examination. The flap surface remained attached to the wing. The flap push/pull rod was separated from the flap tube by impact. The position of the flap surface could not be determined.

Right Wing

The right wing remained partially attached to the center fuselage section and sustained extensive ground impact damage. The wing exhibited accordion type crushing along the entire leading edge wing span consistent with a nose down vertical impact. The fuel tank was ruptured and did not contain fuel. The fuel tank and wing skins exhibited bulging signatures consistent with that of hydraulic effect.

Both aileron cables remained attached to the bellcrank assembly and the aileron push/pull rod separated at both ends. The aileron remained attached to the wing. The aileron counterweight separated from the surface and was not observed during the examination. The flap surface remained attached to the wing and the flap push/pull rod was separated from the flap tube by impact. The position of the flap surface could not be determined due to impact forces.

Empennage

The tail section remained partially attached to the empennage and the vertical surface separated from the rear empennage section due to ground impact. The rudder surface remained attached to the vertical surface. The rudder tube and bellcrank assembly separated from the rudder surface. Both rudder cables remained attached to the bellcrank. The horizontal surface remained attached to the rear bulkhead and sustained some impact damage but was otherwise mostly intact. Both stabilator cables remained attached to the counterweight tube assembly. The stabilator trim surfaces remained attached to the stabilator. The stabilator trim drum top jack screw exhibited 8 threads which correlated to a slight nose up trim setting. The stabilator trim push/pull rod separated from the trim drum but remained attached to the trim surface.

Engine

The engine was examined on April 3, 2013 at the facilities of Beegles Aircraft Services, Inc, Greeley, Co. The engine was lifted with a hoist for the examination. The propeller was found separated from the crankshaft. One blade was bent aft and twisted near the hub. The other blade was bent toward the trailing edge and twisted. Both blades had extensive chord wise scratching and polishing. There was a hole noted in the lower forward right nose section of the engine. The oil sump was impact separated. Both magnetos bases were still attached to the engine with their respective housings broken apart. The engine driven fuel pump was also found broken apart. The crankshaft was not rotatable due to impact damage. The carburetor was found separated from the engine and broken apart. The cylinders were borescope inspected and no anomalies noted. The spark plugs appeared normal as compared to the Champion Aviation Check a Plug Chart AV-27. There was no serial number found stamped on the engine case. No evidence was found of an engine malfunction that may have contributed to the accident.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy on the pilot was performed by the Douglas County Coroner's Office. The cause of death was blunt force injuries. Postmortem toxicology tests were negative for drugs and alcohol with traces of caffeine.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

According to information provided by a friend of the pilot, the pilot had awakened about 0400 on March 29 to take a commercial flight from Denver to California as part of the plan to retrieve the airplane back to Denver. The pilot arrived in San Jose California about 1000 and then took a shuttle to Bakersfield where the airplane was located. She stated that the pilot then flew the airplane from Bakersfield to Phoenix where he was going to stay the night. She stated that she last heard from the pilot via a phone call about 2100 on the night of the March 29. She stated that the pilot told her on the phone that he was exhausted and had not eaten lunch or dinner.

The next morning, March 30, the pilot called her about 0800 to tell her that he was beginning his cross country flight and would stop in Albuquerque (Sandia Airpark) for fuel and to have lunch and refuel. The last time she heard from the pilot was bout 1730. The phone call was about one minute long and she stated that the pilot sounded rushed and told her that he would be arriving at Centennial about 2000.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's loss of airplane control while maneuvering between two convective storms that likely produced low-level windshear. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's relatively low overall flight experience and low night flight experience, which contributed to his inability to fly in the environmental conditions that were present.