History of Flight
On October 24, 2008, about 1901 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-24-260, N8820P, was destroyed when it departed controlled flight and impacted trees and terrain near Red Hill, Virginia. The airplane was being vectored for an instrument approach to Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO), Charlottesville, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the destination airport, and the flight operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan.
The pilot filed an IFR flight plan from Asheville Regional Airport to Orange County Airport, with CHO as the alternate. The flight departed Asheville about 1726. Air traffic control radar data indicated the airplane cruised at 7,000 feet mean sea level. About 9 minutes before the accident, the pilot requested the GPS-8 instrument approach for Orange County. About 6 minutes before the accident, ATC cleared the airplane to descend to 4,000 feet. Approximately 2 minutes later, the pilot reported that visibility at Orange County was "right at the minimums" and requested a diversion to CHO for the ILS approach to runway 3. ATC approved and issued a heading change. Two minutes after that, ATC cleared the airplane for the approach. Two minutes later, three "mayday" calls, presumed from the accident airplane, were broadcast. No further transmissions were received.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings. According to his logbook, as of October 12, 2008, he had accumulated about 1,070 total flight hours, including 180 hours at night, 157 hours in complex airplanes, 82 hours of actual instrument time, and 75 hours of simulated instrument time. He had 71 hours in the accident airplane make and model. His most recent flight review was in January 2008, and his most recent instrument proficiency check was in April 2008. He held a third-class medical certificate issued in August 2007.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1965 and had several owners. It was a four-place, low-wing, all-metal aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear and an autopilot. The engine was a Lycoming IO-540 overhauled in October 2000. The most recent annual inspection was completed in October 2007. The last maintenance entry was dated August 8, 2008.
Meteorological Information
Local sunset was at 1823. The 1853 weather observation at CHO reported zero wind, 10 miles visibility, a broken ceiling at 1,900 feet, and an overcast ceiling at 2,600 feet. The 1900 observation at Orange County reported winds from 010 degrees at 4 knots, 10 miles visibility, broken ceiling at 1,900 feet, and overcast at 2,600 feet. AIRMETs for mountain obscuration and IFR conditions, and occasional moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet, were current. No convective SIGMETs or watches were in effect. Winds aloft were from the south at 30 to 45 knots. Weather radar showed a band of rain echoes at the diversion point, with wind shear values of 12 to 18 knots along the flight track, consistent with moderate to severe turbulence.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was in a wooded area about 12 miles south of CHO. The debris field measured about 400 feet long and 100 feet wide, oriented along a magnetic heading of 195 degrees. The first components found were segments of the stabilator, without impact damage. The airplane first struck trees at about 50 feet above ground level. The engine was the final component in the debris path. Examination of the engine and accessories revealed no pre-impact anomalies. Flight control continuity was established for the ailerons, rudder, stabilator, and stabilator trim. The stabilator trim jackscrew indicated a full nose-up trim setting. The flap jackscrew indicated about 23 degrees of flaps.
Additional Information
Airworthiness directives and service bulletins regarding tail flutter had been issued for the PA-24. The accident airplane had been modified with rudder balance weights per AD 72-22-05, but did not have stabilator tip weights per Service Letter 687. Maintenance records from October 2006 showed that both stabilators were replaced. The replacement stabilators were on the airplane at the time of the accident. Examination revealed that the left stabilator had non-standard blind rivets attaching the nose ribs to the lower nose skin, contrary to the Piper design. The rivets showed minimal expansion. The left stabilator nose skin lacked required primer or chromate conversion coating. The right stabilator had significant material ground from rivet heads on the nose rib and main spar cap. Both stabilators had non-weighted phenolic spacers at the outboard closure rib. The inboard half of the right stabilator remained attached to the aft fuselage. Fractures on the stabilator components were consistent with overstress and compression buckling.