NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 17, 2013, about 0555 eastern standard time, a Focke-Wulf FWP 149D, N132FW, was destroyed while on approach to Duplin County Airport (DPL), Kenansville, North Carolina. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed the Albert J. Ellis Airport (OAJ), Jacksonville, North Carolina at 0543, which is 20.9 nautical miles southeast of DPL.

According to the wife of the pilot, he was planning a flight to Michigan to attend a funeral of a friend. On the night before the accident, the pilot told his wife that he had planned to leave in the morning, depending on the weather, but he did not give a definite time. He went on to say that he would stop in Henderson Field Airport, Wallace, North Carolina (ACZ), for fuel and then stop at a midway point to refuel again before continuing to Michigan. He said that there was a cold front moving in, and he was keeping an eye on it and needed to be prepared. The pilot's wife asked him to call her when he left and landed. On November 18, 2013, after attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful, the local authorities and the Federal Aviation Administration were notified by the pilot's wife that his airplane had not arrived at his destination airport. An immediate search began, and an Alert Notice (ALNOT) was issued. The airplane was located by ground crews on the evening of November 18, at 2213.

According to a lineman at OAJ, on the morning of the accident, he noticed an airplane taxing on the ramp. He was able to see the aircraft beacon and a silhouette of the airplane but was unable to see the registration number of the aircraft. Shortly thereafter, he heard the airplane takeoff and head towards the west. He recalled that the weather at the time was very foggy.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot, age 37, held a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land with instrument airplane issued January 7, 2011, and a second-class airman medical certificate issued February 13, 2009, with no limitations. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he accumulated 656 flight hours as pilot in command and a total of 695 in make and model. Further review revealed that 23 flight hours were completed within the last 30 days before the accident. It was also noted that the pilot had a total of 62.8 hours of actual instrument time and a total of 50.8 hours of simulated instrument (HOOD) time.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The three-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 132, was manufactured in 1960. It was powered by a Lycoming Flugmotor GO-480-BIA6, serial number L4506, 264-horsepower engine equipped with MT propeller D94315. Review of copies of maintenance logbook records showed a conditional inspection was completed February 19, 2013, at a recorded airframe total time of 4,308.3 hours and a total time of 5,160.6 hours. Examination of the airplane revealed that the airplane was equipped with the required instruments and equipment required for instrument flight in accordance with CFR part 91, Subpart C, 91.205.

According to a lineman at OAJ, he assisted the pilot in servicing the nose strut two days prior to the accident. He stated that no other maintenance was performed on the airplane.

AERODROME INFORMATION

Duplin County Airport is a non-towered airport with a field elevation of 134.5 feet. The airport was equipped with a single asphalt runway 5/23 (6,002 feet long and 75 feet wide). The runway was equipped with runway end identifier lights and precision approach path lights (PAPI). According to the airport manager the PAPI lights were out of service and all other lighting systems were operational. The runway was not equipped with runway edge lights or touchdown point lights and there is a published localizer instrument procedure for the airport.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

There was no record that the pilot obtained an official preflight weather briefing.

The recorded weather at the OAJ at an elevation of 93 feet, revealed at 0555, conditions were winds calm, cloud conditions overcast at 200 feet above ground level (agl). Visibility 1/2 mile, temperature 54 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 52 degrees C; altimeter 30.16 inches of mercury. A review of the recorded weather observations for OAJ revealed that all reports between 0335 and 0955 reported overcast ceilings at 200 feet agl.

The recorded weather at DPL at an elevation of 137 feet, revealed at 0555, conditions were winds calm, cloud conditions overcast at 100 feet agl, visibility 1/2 mile and fog, temperature 54 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 54 degrees C; altimeter 30.17 inches of mercury.

COMMUNICATIONS

Radar data was reviewed from the New River Marine Corps Air Station (NCA), Jacksonville, North Carolina. It revealed that, on November 17, 2013, between the hours of 0525 local until 0555 local, a primary target was observed 1 mile north of OAJ tracking northwest toward DPL. The primary target appeared on the scope at 0543:52. No secondary target was observed. Radar was lost at 0546:27, and then reappeared at 0546:45. The target was again lost 8 miles northwest of OAJ, or 20 miles northwest of NCA, at 0547:57, and the target did not reappear. The airplane was not transmitting a mode C signal during the flight.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

The wreckage was located in a wooded area 1/2 mile from the approach end of runway 23 at DPL. All flight surfaces and major components were located at the accident site. The airplane was resting nose-down at the base of a tree. The wreckage debris path was about 100 yards long and on a magnetic heading of 230 degrees. The propeller and engine were buried about 4 feet in a crater.

Examination of the cockpit revealed that it was crushed aft, and the instrument panel was crushed. The flight controls were still in their respective positions. The cockpit canopy was separated from the fuselage and located along the debris path. The flight instruments were impact-damaged. Both navigational indicators were captured at a heading of 230 degrees.

Examination of the cockpit revealed control stick continuity from the stick to the bell crank and out to the flight control surfaces. The fuel selector valve was observed in the right tank position. The rudder pedals were connected to the rudder bar, and the rudder control cables were traced to the bell crank in the empennage out to the rudder. The left and right aileron trim tabs were impact-damaged, and the position was unreliable. The nose gear was observed broken off of the strut.

Examination of the empennage revealed that the vertical and horizontal stabilizers were still attached and impact-damaged. The left and right horizontal stabilizers were buckled aft and revealed accordion crushing on the leading edge. The elevators were connected to the horizontal stabilizers and impact-damaged.

Examination of the left wing revealed that it was separated from the fuselage at the wing root. The left wing was fragmented with accordion crushing on parts of leading edge. The left aileron was separated from the wing and located along the debris path and impact-damaged. Flight control cables were observed attached to the fragmented sections of the wing and exhibited overload fractures. The left flap assembly was separated from the wing and located along the debris path and impact- damaged. The left main landing gear was separated from the wing and located along the debris path. The left main fuel tank was breached and located in the wreckage debris path. The fuel cap was observed on a fragment of the wing and was locked with a tight seal.

Examination of the right wing revealed that the wing was still attached to the fuselage. According crushing was observed along the leading edge and impact damage throughout the span of the wing. The wing tip was separated from the wing and located along the debris path. The aileron was attached to the wing and impact damaged. The flap assembly was attached to the wing and impact damaged. The position of the flap could not determine. The right main landing gear was in the down and locked position. The landing gear position switch was observed in the down position. The right main fuel tank cap was locked with a tight seal. Examination of the fuel tank revealed that approximately 5 gallons of fuel was observed in the tank and it was breached.

The propeller remained attached to the gearbox driveshaft flange. The propeller spinner was partially crushed. The blade marked "A" exhibited twisting and curling of the outboard portion of the blade. The blade marked "B" was bent forward about mid-span and aft near the tip. That blade exhibited twisting and leading and trailing edge "S" bends. The blade marked "C" was curved aft about 90 degrees at about mid-span.

Examination of the engine revealed that is was rotated by turning the propeller. Continuity of the crankshaft to the rear gears and to the valve train was confirmed. Compression and suction was observed from all six cylinders. All spark plugs were removed and exhibited dark gray color. The Nos.1 and 3 top and bottom spark plugs were oily. Oil drained from the No. 1 cylinder when the lower spark plug was removed and it was noted that when the airplane came to rest it was in a nose down position at the accident site. The interiors of the engine cylinders were examined using a lighted borescope and no anomalies noted. The pressure carburetor was fractured across the throttle bore and separated from the engine. The throttle and mixture controls were impact damaged and their positions were unreliable. The carburetor fuel inlet screen was unobstructed. The pressure regulator section was disassembled and no damage noted tor the rubber diaphragms. The engine driven fuel pump remained attached to the engine and no damage was noted. Liquid with an odor and color consistent with that of aviation gasoline ran from the pump inlet hose when the pump was removed. The fuel pump produced fuel from the outlet hose when the inlet hose was submerged in fuel and the pump drive rotated using a battery operated drill. At the conclusion of the engine examination no anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot’s loss of control in instrument meteorological conditions for reasons that could not be determined because examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s self-induced pressure to make the flight.