History of Flight
On June 16, 2010, about 2352 central daylight time, a Piper PA-23, registration N7SE, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain about 1.2 nautical miles north-northwest of the Rochester International Airport (RST), Rochester, Minnesota. The pilot had reported engine trouble to air traffic controllers and was attempting to land at RST. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. The flight was operating under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. It departed from Stanton Airfield, Stanton, Minnesota, about 2315.
At 2303:55, the pilot contacted Minneapolis Approach Control and received flight following assistance from Flying Cloud Airport to Stanton Airfield. At 2312:04, radar service was terminated after the pilot reported having Stanton Airfield in sight. The airplane is presumed to have landed there.
Radar track data showed the airplane airborne again at 2321:22 about 5.5 nautical miles west-southwest of Stanton heading east-southeast. At 2337:17, the pilot contacted Minneapolis Approach Control and reported engine problems, requesting assistance locating the nearest airport. At that time, the airplane was about 18 nautical miles north-northwest of RST at 5,400 feet pressure altitude heading south. The controller suggested Red Wing Regional Airport, about 26 nautical miles north, but the pilot elected to continue to RST, which was closer. At 2339:47, the controller informed the pilot that RST was now the closest airport. Radar data showed RST was about 14.3 nautical miles at 160 degrees from the airplane's position, while Dodge Center Airport was about 10.9 nautical miles at 230 degrees. The pilot reported losing partial power on the left engine.
At 2343:19, the pilot confirmed having RST in sight and stated he was trying to maintain altitude. At that time, the airplane was at 3,500 feet pressure altitude and 10 nautical miles from RST. At 2346:26, the pilot stated uncertainty about having sufficient altitude to reach RST, repeating this at 2346:39 when the airplane was at 2,500 feet and 6 nautical miles from RST. No further communications were received. Another pilot approaching RST reported seeing a fireball at 2351:45.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 29, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine and multi-engine land airplane ratings. He was issued a second-class airman medical certificate with no limitations on May 19, 2008. He satisfied flight review requirements when he successfully completed the practical test for his multi-engine rating on October 3, 2009.
The pilot's logbook was not recovered; however, he reported 259 hours of total flight experience on his multi-engine practical test application, with 4.0 hours in a Piper PA-44-180 (Seminole). No further information on multi-engine experience was found.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a 1957 Piper PA-23 (Apache), serial number 23-1127, owned by the pilot and registered as N7SE. It was a four-place, twin-engine aircraft with retractable tricycle landing gear. It was powered by two Lycoming O-320-A1A engines, each rated at 150 horsepower. Aircraft maintenance records were not recovered.
Meteorological Information
At 2354, weather at RST recorded: wind from 120 degrees at 7 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 18°C, dew point 16°C, altimeter 30.02 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest in a hilly wooded area about 0.8 nautical miles north of the approach end of runway 13 at RST. The cabin, nose, and left wing exhibited significant fire damage; the cabin section and left wing were almost completely burned. All major components were accounted for in the immediate area of the main wreckage. The wreckage path was oriented on about a 165-degree magnetic heading.
The right wing was mostly intact with impact and fire damage concentrated inboard. The right engine was separated from the wing; the propeller remained attached. Left wing remains consisted of top skin on the ground; the rest was consumed by fire. The left engine still had the propeller attached in the feathered position. The engine was attached to its mounts with fire damage to aft accessories.
The fuselage aft of the baggage compartment was intact; tail surfaces remained attached. The forward fuselage was consumed by fire. Rudder control system was intact except for a cut cable by first responders and a broken horn. Elevator control system had a missing pushrod portion, presumed consumed by fire. Right aileron pushrod was broken, with cables exhibiting overload failure or cut by first responders. Left aileron cable showed overload failure. No anomalies were detected with respect to the airframe or flight control system.
The left engine produced compression and spark from one magneto; the other magneto had impact damage. No pre-impact anomalies were detected. The right engine had compression on three cylinders; the fourth cylinder had impact and fire damage. No pre-impact anomalies were detected. Fuel system within the cabin was consumed by post-impact fire.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Mayo Clinic attributed the cause of death to multiple blunt-force injuries and evidence of fire/smoke inhalation. The CAMI toxicology report for the pilot was negative for all tests performed.