N55120
PIPER PA-34-200
THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED DUE TO OVERLOAD AS THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE AIRPLANE UNDER A LINE OF CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE PILOT CONTACTED FLIGHT WATCH REPORTING A RAIN SQUALL ALONG THE ROUTE AND WAS BRIEFED THAT RAIN SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE MOVING IN FROM THE COASTLINE. THE CELLS SHOWED LEVEL THREE AND FOUR. THE PILOT REPORTED 'I'M IN SOLID RAIN RIGHT NOW' AND THAT THERE WAS A LOT OF ACTIVITY SOUTH. THE PILOT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL FOR VFR FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND WAS BRIEFED ON THUNDERSTORM CELLS IN THE AREA. THE PILOT REPORTED ACTIVITY ON THE COCKPIT STORMSCOPE AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A DEVIATION TO THE SOUTH. PORTIONS OF THE WRECKAGE WERE FOUND FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS OVER SEVERAL MILES. CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED TO ALL FLIGHT CONTROLS. EXAMINATION OF THE ONE RECOVERED ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALIES THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE, THE PILOT RECEIVED WEATHER BRIEFINGS THAT INCLUDED THUNDERSTORM AND RAIN SHOWER ACTIVITY WITH VFR FLIGHT NOT RECOMMENDED.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT: On July 10, 1994, at 0854 central daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200, N55120, was destroyed during an uncontrolled descent into the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 20 miles offshore from Sabine Pass, Texas. The non-instrument rated private pilot and his passenger were fatally injured. Thunderstorms were reported in the area for the personal cross country flight. The flight departed Sebastian, Florida, on July 9, 1994, with a final planned destination of Dallas, Texas. Following an en route fuel stop at Pascagoula, Mississippi, the flight continued to Lakefront Airport, New Orleans, Louisiana. On July 10, 1994, the flight departed Lakefront Airport at 0708 en route to Houston, Texas. The pilot contacted Beaumont Approach at 0833 for VFR flight following to Houston Gulf Airport. At 0854 Beaumont Approach Control lost radar contact with N55120. Houston Air Traffic Control Center radar tracked the descending target to 2,400 feet at position 29 degrees 24.04 minutes north and 094 degrees 01.39 minutes west. The U.S Coast Guard District Command Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, received notification at 1330 on July 10, 1994, from the Air Force Rescue Control Center that the airplane had disappeared from Beaumont Approach Radar. Coast Guard search procedures were initiated. On July 11, 1994, Coast Guard and offshore vessels located portions of the airplane and personal items within 7 nautical miles of the flight's last radar contact. Coast Guard vessels, Coast Guard helicopters and a U. S. Navy vessel continued to search through July 19, 1994. Portions of the main fuselage, left wing, and empennage were recovered. The following week an offshore vessel recovered portions of the right wing and aileron outboard of the engine nacelle. The engine and propeller were recovered by an offshore vessel on August 26, 1994. The engine and propeller components were forwarded to Textron Lycoming, Williamsport, Pennsylvania, for examination by the NTSB. PERSONNEL INFORMATION: All multiengine flight time for the pilot was in N55120. The pilot obtained the multiengine rating on April 10, 1993. Pilot logbooks indicated total flight time through June 26, 1994, as 502.2 hours. Historical pilot logbook data showed .6 hours of simulated instrument time prior to December 4, 1992. Logbook entries for April 4, 1994, included 1.5 hours of dual instruction in actual instrument conditions. During telephone interviews, a relative stated the following information. The pilot called from New Orleans, Louisiana, and reported that he was spending the night due to weather. The relative estimated the pilot's total flight time as 1,000 hours. Ground school tapes for the instrument rating had been purchased by the pilot who planned to attend a 10 day IFR course. The pilot had "very little hood time and would always land and wait for the weather." The pilot purchased a stormscope approximately two weeks prior to July 10, 1994. Training on the unit was planned by the pilot; however, that training was not received prior to this flight. The relative felt that the stormscope may have contributed to the pilot continuing flight closer to weather situations than he would have done in the past. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION: During telephone interviews, a relative reported that current aircraft maintenance records (not recovered) were in the nose baggage compartment of the aircraft. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION: National Weather Service Radar (Galveston, Texas) data for 0725 indicated 4/10ths area coverage with thunderstorms and heavy rain showers, with tops to 46,000 feet. Rain showers decreased in intensity by 0825; however, 4/10ths area coverage with thunderstorms continued. Area forecast and convective sigmets for developing areas of thunderstorms with tops to 45,000 feet were in effect for Louisiana and Texas coastal waters. The forecast included occasional clusters of rainshowers and thunderstorms. The atmosphere was reported unstable and moisture convergence maximum in the southeastern Texas, southern Louisiana and coastal water areas with thunderstorms increasing. Airmets were valid for IFR conditions with thunderstorms and rain showers. Surface observation stations along the route reported rainshowers. Galveston surface observations and terminal forecast included rain showers of unknown intensity in all quadrants with wind gust to 30 knots. Beaumont reported thunderstorms. Satellite photos indicate convective activity throughout Southern Texas, Louisiana, and coastal waters. COMMUNICATIONS: At 0540 and 0641, on July 10, 1994, the pilot requested and received preflight weather briefings from the DeRidder FSS for a VFR flight from Lakefront Airport, New Orleans, Louisiana, to Houston Gulf Airport, Houston, Texas. The outlook portion of the briefing included thunderstorm and rain shower activity and the pilot was briefed that VFR flight was not recommended. The pilot contacted flight watch at 0816 reporting a rain squall along the route and was briefed that rain showers and thunderstorms were moving in from the coastline along the route to Houston. The cells showed level three and four extending to 20 miles south of the Beaumont area toward Galveston. The pilot reported to flight watch "I'm in solid rain right now" and there was a lot of activity south of his position. Beaumont Approach Controller radar identified the airplane at 0832 at 4,500 feet MSL. At 0842 the controller briefed the pilot on thunderstorm cells in the area. At 0842:30 the pilot reported activity on the cockpit stormscope, and requested and received a deviation to the south. This was the last recorded transmission from N55120. Lake Charles Controller radar weather data indicated thunderstorms from 10 miles southwest of Lake Charles, Louisiana, extending over 60 miles to the west. Communication and radar contact was lost with N55120 at 0854. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION; The recovered portions of the fuselage, empennage, and left wing were examined by a FAA inspector and the NTSB investigator-in- charge on July 22, 1994, at Wolfe Air Park, Houston, Texas. Crushing and buckling was found on the leading area and lower surface of the left wing. The inboard end of the left wing upper spar cap was cracked. The inboard end of the right wing main spar and the left wing upper spar cap were forwarded to the NTSB metallurgist (enclosed report) for examination. The right wing and aileron outboard of the engine nacelle were examined (enclosed statement) by a FAA inspector on July 28, 1994, at Wolfe Air Park, Houston, Texas. Wing skin, rivet areas, and spar exhibited overstress features. Crushing and buckling was found on lower aft skin area and trailing edge. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION: Autopsy and toxicological test were requested; however, local authorities stated that an autopsy and toxicology was not possible. Prescriptions filled by Bay Street Pharmacy at Roseland, Florida for the pilot were recovered by the Coast Guard. These prescriptions included Naproxen (500mg), Folic Acid (1 mg), Methylprednisolone (4 mg), and Metotrexate (2.5 mg). According to Office of the Southwest Regional Flight Surgeon "it is possible that some of the secondary effects of these drugs could have been manifested by adverse weather conditions, thereby possibly causing disorientation." TEST AND RESEARCH: The inboard end of the right wing main spar and the inboard end of the left wing upper spar cap were examined by the NTSB metallurgists (enclosed report). The components exibited fractures typical of overstress. On January 11, 1995, at Williamsport, Pennsylvania, the recovered left engine was examined by an NTSB air safety investigator. The engine exhibited salt water corrosion over the entire engine and accessories. Magneto housings and the oil cooler were disintegrated. The injector inlet housing was separated. Impact damage was noted on the fuel flow divider lines. Fire damage was found at the engine/airframe attachment point and the airframe mounting bracket exhibited torch cutting. There was no additional evidence of fire. The number 4 cylinder fins were damaged and the lower spar plug was loose. Fuel screen was corroded. The throttle was at flight idle and the mixture midrange. All spark plugs were filled with salt water contaminants. Valves, cylinders, and the oil pump would not rotate. The propeller governor was corroded. There was no evidence of oil starvation or internal engine power failure. The right engine was never recovered. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Components were released to the owner's representative.
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS WERE THE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE PILOT'S DISREQARD FOR THE FORECASTED ADVERSE WEATHER.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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