History of Flight
On March 30, 2010, at 1310 eastern daylight time, N6913Z, a Piper PA-46-310P, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Roanoke Regional Airport (ROA), Roanoke, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot and passenger arrived at ROA around 0930 that morning from Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO) for a meeting. After the meeting and lunch, they prepared for the return flight to CHO.
The passenger, interviewed in the hospital, reported the takeoff seemed normal. He was seated in a rearward-facing seat. After takeoff, the airplane made a "flat" right turn, and the pilot said, "I have a problem." The passenger recalled hearing a "clunk" from the right side during the flight but could not specify when. He did not remember the impact but exited through the passenger door after the crash.
FBO employees monitoring the tower frequency heard the pilot announce, "my controls are locked." They then went outside and observed the airplane above runway 24, near the intersection of runway 33, at an estimated altitude of 150-300 feet. The airplane began a "slight right turn" and was traveling slowly. They lost sight of it behind terrain as it descended; smoke appeared seconds later. One witness, also a pilot, described a shallow, "flat" right bank with a "minimal sink rate" and no wing dip. Another witness driving on a nearby road saw the airplane level, "rocking a little left and right," then banking right, moving "relatively slow...just fast enough to maintain its level attitude." Shortly after, the airplane struck a wire with its right wing and "cartwheeled" before impacting the ground near a building.
According to air traffic control data, the pilot was cleared for takeoff from runway 24. About one minute later, he reported, "I got a problem…the ah control wheels are locked." The controller cleared him to land on any runway, but no further transmissions were received.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on December 3, 2008, at which time he reported 3,000 total flight hours. His most recent flight review and instrument proficiency check were completed on May 24, 2009. A computerized logbook showed 110.5 hours from November 21, 2008 to February 28, 2010, in the accident airplane and another PA-46-310P. He also attended a factory JetPROP DLX ground school (8 hours) and flight training program (5 hours) covering pre-flight, post-flight, landings, emergency procedures, and night flight.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a low-wing, single-engine aircraft manufactured in 1985, powered by a Teledyne Continental TSIO-520 engine. The co-owner reported that he and the pilot had owned it for about 7 years. The most recent annual inspection was on May 20, 2009, at 855 hours; the hobbs meter at the accident site read 956 hours. The aircraft logbook included entries regarding flight controls: March 14, 2007 (annual): left aileron pulleys frozen, cable off pulley; March 31, 2008 (annual): pilot/co-pilot yoke shafts required lube, secondary elevator stop adjusted; July 17, 2008: broken wires at pilot yoke fixed; September 18, 2009: left aileron damaged during towing, replaced with loaner; November 25, 2009: loaner replaced with new aileron. Hobbs time at that entry was 864.7 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1309, ROA reported wind from 290° at 15 knots gusting to 23 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 15°C, dew point -3°C, altimeter 29.83 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The initial impact point was a wire approximately 50 ft high. Under the wire was a small piece of fuselage skin. About 37 ft from the wire, three ground scars corresponding to the three propeller blades were found; one blade was buried, two adjacent. All blades separated from hub sockets; two had chordwise scratching on leading edges. The wreckage path oriented 340° magnetic, extending about 62 ft to the main wreckage, which came to rest upright about 25 ft from the propeller scars, at the corner of an industrial building. The airplane was oriented 230° magnetic. Post-crash fire consumed most of the airplane except the left aileron.
The right wing separated at the root but remained attached via flight control cables; the right aileron and flap were consumed by fire. The left wing remained attached, with the inboard section twisted 90° and outboard section upright. The left flap was consumed; the left aileron separated and was found 15 ft ahead of the main wreckage, intact and undamaged by fire. The tail section separated but remained attached via cables; both horizontal stabilizers sustained severe fire damage. Elevator and rudder cables were traced to the control column and rudder pedals with no obstructions. Aileron cables were traced to wing roots and showed overstress separation. The control yokes could not be rotated initially due to impact damage to the stop bracket. Examination of the forward side of the firewall revealed several unsecured cannon plugs near the control yokes; one cannon plug connector half was dangling across the co-pilot's control column, and heat-damaged wire bundles lay across the columns.
The engine separated and came to rest under the airplane. After removal, a battery was attached to the starter; valve train continuity and thumb compression were confirmed on all cylinders. Borescope examination showed no anomalies. Spark plugs exhibited normal wear. The fuel pump drive shaft rotated freely; internal inspection showed no damage. Fuel was present in the pump and manifold; injection nozzles were clear. The oil pump housing showed no evidence of hard particle passage.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Virginia performed an autopsy on the pilot on March 31, 2010. FAA toxicology testing detected hydromorphone (0.125 µg/mL in urine, none in blood), lidocaine (in urine and blood), midazolam (0.023 µg/mL in blood and in urine), and quinine (in blood). These substances were consistent with post-accident treatment administered to the pilot.
Tests and Research
The Engine Data Monitor (EDM) was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory; despite fire damage, non-volatile memory was extracted. Data from December 30, 2009 to March 30, 2010, including 13 engine parameters for two flights on the accident day, revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies.
A section of the pilot's control column was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory. The control column was severely fire-damaged. The bearing providing rotational capability was difficult to rotate and felt rough. External examination showed contamination with soot, resolidified plastic, and fire debris. After sectioning, bearing balls were intact with no deformation but were oxidized and discolored from high temperature. Bearing races also showed thermal discoloration. No evidence suggested the bearing was not functioning properly prior to the fire.
Additional Information
The airplane was last fueled on the morning of the accident with 25 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel in each tank at CHO. The accident airplane was involved in a previous accident on November 11, 2008 (ERA09CA065), where the co-owner lost directional control during takeoff in gusting crosswinds; no mechanical anomalies were reported. A search of FAA Service Difficulty Reports revealed no relevant flight control anomalies for the PA-46-310P. A query of the manufacturer identified one report for a 2006 PA-46-350P involving aileron stiffness and autopilot failure to disengage due to a frozen aileron sector from corrosion. Piper issued a Maintenance Alert clarifying lubrication requirements. The aileron sectors on the accident airplane were examined but showed no evidence of this anomaly.