History of Flight
On December 7, 2009, at 1134 central standard time, a New Piper Aircraft Inc, PA-46-500TP, N600YE, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain following a sudden loss of altitude during vectors for an instrument approach in instrument meteorological conditions near Mendoza, Texas. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 with an IFR flight plan. The cross-country flight originated at Aransas County Airport (RKP), Rockport, Texas, and was destined for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas.
The airplane departed RKP about 1059. The pilot began receiving vectors from AUS radar approach controllers at 1127. Radar data and air traffic control transcripts indicate the pilot was at 4,000 feet msl and established inbound on the localizer to runway 35R at AUS about 1132:00. At 1132:22 the pilot was told to "expect short vectors" and received a left turn to 260 degrees heading for spacing. At 1132:40 the pilot was told to descend to 3,100 feet msl. At 1133:04, at 3,800 feet msl, heading 286 degrees, groundspeed 175 knots, the pilot was told to turn right to 080 degrees. The pilot acknowledged (last transmission) and the airplane continued a left turn until 1133:13 (heading 272 degrees), then began a right turn at 172 knots GS. At 1133:22 the airplane was at 3,300 feet msl, 284 degrees heading, 174 knots GS. At 1133:31 it was at 2,800 feet msl, 330 degrees heading, 200 knots GS. At 1133:36 it was at 2,000 feet msl, 006 degrees heading, 222 knots GS. At 1133:40 it was at 1,200 feet msl, 046 degrees heading, 254 knots GS.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 64, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for single-engine land and instrument airplane. He held a current Class 3 medical certificate with no waivers/limitations, issued December 12, 2007. His flight logbooks were not located. On his last medical application he indicated 2,847 total hours. A flight instructor reported that the pilot first flew N600YE on September 28, 2009. Prior to that, the pilot was qualified in a different PA-46 with a different avionics suite. The instructor said the pilot completed a two-day recurrent training on May 27, 2009, including 11 hours ground and 4 hours flight, plus a flight review and instrument proficiency check, reporting 3,513 hours at that time. The instructor also provided initial PA-46 familiarization in December 2007 and recurrent training in April and November 2008.
Aircraft Information
The 2006 model airplane, serial number 4697250, was a low-wing, single-engine airplane powered by a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-42A engine driving a Hartzell HC-E4N-3Q propeller. The last airframe inspection was an annual type on June 19, 2009, with airplane total time 452.3 hours. The last engine inspection was a 100-hour inspection on June 19, 2009.
Meteorological Information
Reported weather at AUS at 1140: temperature 52°F, dew point 50°F, relative humidity 94%, wind 020° at 13 knots, visibility 1 1/4 miles, light rain, overcast ceiling at 200 feet. A PIREP at 1050 reported cloud tops at 3,000 feet msl 3 miles south of AUS.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted a pasture about 0.16 miles southeast of the last radar return. Ground scars indicate impact in an 80-90° right bank and 18° nose low. The debris field was about 1,000 feet long. Both wings, the engine, and forward cockpit separated from the fuselage. All flight control surfaces were accounted for. Wing fractures, cable separations, and control rod fractures were consistent with overload. Flight control cable continuity could not be verified due to structural fragmentation. Two of four propeller blades had leading-edge gouges 1-2 inches deep.
Additional Information
The air traffic controller stated his intent was to build one-mile spacing outbound and inbound, then a 020° heading to re-intercept the localizer. When asked about pilot spatial disorientation, he said he had heard of it but was not sure where. He noted that turning or descending "into the soup" can cause vertigo or disorientation. According to FAA Advisory Circular 60-4A, tests indicate it can take up to 35 seconds to establish full control by instruments after loss of visual reference.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy attributed the cause of death to multiple traumatic injuries. Toxicological testing was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and volatiles. Diphenhydramine was detected in liver and kidney. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine (Benadryl, Unisom) with an FDA warning that it may impair mental/physical ability for hazardous tasks. Samples were insufficient to determine impairment level.
Tests and Research
Two Avidyne Entegra PFDs and one MFD CF card were recovered. One PFD was from the pilot's position; the other from the copilot's. Both PFDs were extensively damaged. Data from the pilot's PFD was downloaded; copilot's data and MFD data were not recovered due to damage. The recovered data indicated no system anomalies and that the engine operated normally. Flight path data was consistent with radar. Autopilot indications were not recorded, but flight director (FD) data showed the FD Display was active until at least 11:33:20, when a data dropout occurred. When data resumed at 11:32:24 (note: likely a typo in source, but restated as given), the FD Display indicated "Not Display". The airplane was equipped with an S-Tech Magic 1500 autopilot with a disconnect limit: when roll angle meets or exceeds 38° for five seconds, the autopilot disconnects. PFD data showed between 11:33:14 and 11:33:20, right bank increased from about 20° to 50°. After data dropout, bank angle recorded was approximately 68-70° right bank for the remainder.