Oliver Springs, TN, USA
N7906W
PIPER PA-28-181
While landing on the wet turf runway, most likely with a slight tailwind, the airplane touched down and bounced back airborne. The airplane touched down again and turned about 45 degrees to the left, skidding toward the woods. Just prior to reaching the woods, the airplane's course began to straighten and it continued through a fence. The airplane subsequently swung around where its left side impacted a tree in the vicinity of the pilot's seat. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Post-mortem toxicology testing detected an over-the-counter decongestant, antihistamine, and cough suppressant in the pilot’s urine, but not blood, suggesting use no later than the previous evening of an over-the-counter night-time cold/allergy preparation. It is unlikely that the pilot would have been impaired by such use at the time of the accident.
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On October 18, 2009, at 1347 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-181, N7906W, was substantially damaged when it impacted a tree during a landing rollout at Oliver Springs Airport (TN08), Oliver Springs, Tennessee. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured and three passengers incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed for the local personal flight, which was being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to a witness, who also owned an airplane based at the airport, he was standing 20 to 25 feet in front of a hangar located about mid-field when the accident occurred. During the airplane's approach to runway 15, the witness thought it was a little higher than normal, and appeared to be "coming in a little faster than we do – came in pretty hot." The airplane subsequently touched down "pretty firmly" in front of him and bounced 4 to 5 feet in the air. The airplane then landed again, with the nose wheel hitting the ground first, but once down, all the wheels stayed on the ground. The airplane then started to slide at an angle, towards the trees on the opposite side of the runway. As the airplane neared the left side of the runway, it suddenly turned about 180 degrees, then slid off the runway and into the trees, and the engine went to full power. The engine continued to run for about 30 seconds before shutting down. The witness and his wife ran to the airplane; however, before arriving, he saw that another person was there assisting the passengers who had gotten out. The witness then attempted to turn off the master switch but was unable due to the left side of the airplane having caved in, and fuel leaking from the airplane. The witness also noted that he neither heard nor observed any problems with the engine, and that the condition of the runway was wet, and muddy in spots, "but still pretty firm considering all the rain we had." The passengers consisted of one adult, his 8-year-old daughter and his 12-year-old-son. Only the adult passenger was interviewed, and he stated that during the flight, he was sitting in the right rear seat, his son was in the left rear seat, and his daughter was in the right front seat. He also noted that his daughter never touched the flight controls, and due to her small stature, would not have been able to reach them. According to the adult passenger, he had known the pilot for 4 to 5 years, and saw him on a regular basis. The pilot would typically send out emails to those who might want to go with him on a flight, and a few weeks earlier, they had discussed taking the daughter on her first flight. However, since the pilot's availability at the time was a weekday only, they delayed the flight until the day of the accident. On the day of the flight, the passengers arrived at the airport about 1245, and the pilot was already there, completing a preflight inspection of the airplane. After he was finished, they got into the airplane, which was then started, and taxied to the runway. The pilot then completed more preflight checks, including an engine run up, before taking off about 1315. After becoming airborne, the pilot flew the airplane over the passengers' house, and circled a few times, then flew near some wind turbines near Oak Ridge. However, because the ride was "very bumpy" the whole time, and because the daughter was feeling queasy, the pilot decided to land back at the airport. The pilot then flew the airplane over the wind turbines and circled the airport, entering the pattern for runway 15 with left turns. Approaching the runway, the adult passenger felt that the airplane's speed was "faster than what I would have guessed," but was unsure what the airspeed should have been. He also noted that due to the turbulence, they were "jiggling back and forth all the way down." The adult passenger further noted that when the airplane first landed, it bounced, then landed once more. The airplane then turned about 45 degrees to the left, and began sliding or skidding toward the woods to the left of the runway. Just prior to reaching the woods, the airplane swung around the opposite way. It then impacted a tree on the airplane's left side. The only passenger door, located on the right side of the airplane, came open, and the propeller started "turning like crazy." Shortly thereafter, the engine "just turned off" without any intervention. The adult passenger was subsequently able to squeeze out from his rear seat and by the front seat, then helped both of his children onto the wing and off the airplane. Another witness, who had flown many times with the pilot, was waiting for the return of the flight, as he was going to fly as a passenger on a second flight. The witness saw the airplane approach and land, then "porpoise" 1 or 2 feet in the air and land again. He then saw the airplane turn at an angle away from him, before it disappeared from his view behind a hangar. The witness then went around the hangars, and the next he saw the airplane it was in the far woods. He ran toward the airplane, with the engine "racing;" however, it "stopped" when he got about 50 yards from it. By the time he reached the airplane, the passengers had already disembarked, and the pilot appeared deceased. A hand held global positioning system (GPS) unit was found in the airplane which confirmed the route of flight. Calculated groundspeed at touchdown was about 90 mph. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot, age 65, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single engine land and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot's latest Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued on August 29, 2008. According to the pilot's logbook, prior to the accident flight, he had recorded 228 hours of total flight time. He logged 1.3 hours in the preceding 90 days, with the last flight, of 0.9 hours, logged on September 29, 2009. At that time, the pilot also logged nine landings, with TN08 listed as both the departure and the arrival airport. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was powered by a Lycoming O-360-series engine. The airplane's latest annual inspection was completed on January 24, 2009. AIRPORT INFORMATION The airport, located at an elevation of 790 feet, had one turf runway, 15/33, which was 2,800 feet long and 200 feet wide. Remarks for runway 15 included, "obstructions: mountain, 2,500 feet from the runway, requiring an 8:1 slope to clear." Local authorities reported that because of rain the previous 5 days, the runway was soggy on the day of the accident, and a witness noted that the runway was "really wet, not puddled, but close to it." METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION Weather, recorded at a facility in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, about 3 miles to the southeast at a 200-foot higher elevation, at 1353, included scattered clouds at 5,500 feet above the ground, visibility 10 statute miles, winds from 350 degrees true at 5 knots, temperature 10 degrees Centigrade (C), dew point -1 degree C, and an altimeter setting of 29.34 inches Hg. A witness stated that the winds appeared to be from the north, but were not consistent. The flag at the airport would vary from limp to fully unfurled. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION An examination of the turf runway revealed skid marks, beginning with widths consistent with the distances between the airplane's landing gear, commencing about 1,300 feet from the runway threshold. The skid marks initially headed about 150 degrees magnetic, and the longest mark, approximately 30 feet long, equated to the airplane's left tire. The distance between the left tire skid mark and the center tire skid mark was about 1 foot less than the distance between the right tire skid mark and the center tire skid mark, consistent with a slight left skid. The skid marks then disappeared for about 75 feet, consistent with a bounce, and reemerged with the nose tire skid mark appearing first, followed by the right, then the left tire skid marks. The skid marks were again initially positioned consistent with a slight left skid, with the distance between the nose tire skid mark and the left tire skid mark subsequently closing until they joined about 200 feet further along the track. The nose tire skid mark and the left tire skid mark then remained together for about 250 feet, after which, the nose tire skid mark began to emerge back toward the right. About 100 feet after the initial reemergence, the airplane passed through a single-strand barbed wire fence. About 50 feet beyond the fence, the nose tire skid mark crossed the right tire skid mark, consistent with the airplane swapping ends about 50 feet prior to impacting the tree. An examination of the airplane revealed that it had impacted the tree in the vicinity of where the left wing leading edge joined the fuselage. Barbed wire was found wrapped around the nose landing gear. The flaps were full down and the flap handle was full up (a full-up handle equates to full-down flaps.) Stabilator trim was slightly down. The mixture was full rich, the throttle was full forward, and the fuel selector was on the left tank. When the airplane was pulled away from the tree, fuel lines from the left fuel tank to the fuel selector were found to be ruptured. When the airplane was straightened out and pushed, the wheels turned freely. An attempt was made to actuate the braking system; however, the brake lines were also ruptured. MEDICAL AND TOXICOLOGICAL INFORMATION An autopsy was performed on the pilot at the University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee, with the cause of death determined to be "blunt force injuries of head, neck and torso." Toxicological testing was subsequently performed by the FAA Toxicology Research Team, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with the following detected: Dextrorphan detected in urine, but not in blood. Doxylamine detected in urine, but not in blood. Pseudoephedrine detected in urine. A review of the pilot's FAA medical records indicated a history of hay fever and allergies.
The pilot's loss of directional control while landing on a wet turf runway, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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