History of Flight
On June 4, 2011, about 1741 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-24-250, registration N511FS, crashed into an open field in the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Astoria, Oregon, about 1.0 mile south of Astoria Regional Airport's runway 31 landing threshold and 0.4 miles west of its extended centerline. The airplane was substantially damaged. The student pilot, who owned and operated the airplane, was fatally injured. The flight was a solo, round-robin, cross-country instructional flight under 14 CFR Part 91, originating from Astoria Regional Airport between 1000 and 1100. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed.
A witness observed the airplane descending rapidly with its nose nearly straight down and rolling about its longitudinal axis for 1.5 to 2.5 seconds until obscured by terrain. No fire or smoke was seen.
The student pilot's certified flight instructor (CFI) had completed an annual inspection on June 3, 2011, and flew with the student for about 3 hours that evening with no mechanical issues. The airplane had main fuel tanks in the wings (56 usable gallons) and auxiliary wing tip tanks (30 usable gallons). On the morning of June 4, the CFI checked weather and endorsed the student's logbook for a flight with interim landings at Olympia Regional Airport (Washington), Lake Chelan Airport (Washington), and Baker City Municipal Airport (Oregon).
After departing Astoria, the student flew to Olympia, where he purchased 32.60 gallons of fuel (filling the main tanks) and a current aeronautical chart at 1201 local time. He then flew to Lake Chelan, purchasing 15.00 gallons of fuel at 1445. At 1506, the student called his CFI, saying he was running late and would fly directly back to Astoria, skipping Baker City. The distance from Lake Chelan to Astoria is about 190 nautical miles; at 75% power cruise (155 knots), main fuel tank endurance is 3.5 hours at 16 gallons per hour.
At 1542, the student called the CFI en route, reporting a 10-ampere discharge on the amp meter and a pulsating tone in the radio background. At 1622, he reported a complete electrical failure. The CFI, surmising the student was near Mount Rainier (midway between Lake Chelan and Astoria), advised him to immediately extend the electrically activated landing gear while battery power remained. The student made additional calls at 1632, 1647, 1655, and 1733, also seeking advice from a pilot acquaintance. Both the CFI and acquaintance reported the student sounded extremely anxious.
The CFI, located at Astoria, observed the airplane fly overhead at 800-1,000 feet agl with the landing gear only half extended. He advised the student to climb to 3,000 feet and gave detailed instructions for emergency gear extension. The student flew in the area for about 45 minutes until reporting the gear was down. The CFI lost sight of the airplane and later heard emergency sirens.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 46, held a student pilot certificate and a third-class medical certificate issued November 2, 2009, with no limitations. He began flight instruction in October 1987, accumulating about 40 hours over 14 months, with his last flight in February 1989. He resumed flying in May 2010 in the accident airplane. His most recent solo endorsement was October 12, 2010, and the accident flight endorsement was June 4, 2011. His total flight time was 113 hours, with 67 in the accident airplane; 25 hours in the preceding 90 days and 15 in the preceding 30 days. Dual instruction totaled 42 hours.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, a 1959 Piper PA-24-250, serial number 24-1483, was purchased by the pilot in May 2010. The airframe logbook showed the most recent annual inspection on June 3, 2011, at 5,960 hours total time. Review of entries from April 2001 to the accident date found no maintenance related to the alternator, voltage regulator, over voltage relay, or spike guard. The engine, a Lycoming O-540-A1C5, serial number L-1086-40, had 1,966 hours total time, with the most recent major overhaul on February 7, 2001 (82 hours prior).
The airplane flight manual details emergency gear extension: reduce airspeed below 100 mph, place landing gear selector in center "Off" position, disengage system motor, extend emergency gear handle, and rotate forward.
Meteorological Information
At 1753, the Astoria airport AWOS reported clear skies, visibility 10 miles, wind from 320 degrees at 15 knots, temperature 22°C, dewpoint 10°C. No witnesses reported unusual meteorological phenomena.
Wreckage and Impact
Examination of the accident site revealed no ground scar leading to the main wreckage. An imprint of wings and fuselage was beneath the airplane, oriented on a west-southwesterly heading of 245 degrees. Windshield fragments were found several yards ahead of the crushed cockpit. Crush line deformation in the lower leading edge wing structure was consistent with an estimated 45-degree impact angle into soft, moist soil, forming a 3-foot-deep crater containing the engine and propeller assembly. The rest of the airplane remained at ground level.
All flight control surfaces were attached, and control continuity was confirmed. One propeller blade had leading edge nicks and chordwise scratches; the other appeared undamaged. Wing spar and empennage structure were straight; the empennage aligned with the fuselage. The landing gear was down and locked. Cockpit fuel selectors were positioned to draw from main tanks. All four fuel tanks were impact-damaged and breached; about 1 gallon of fuel leaked from the left main tank during recovery, with several ounces in the main fuel line and carburetor bowl. No fire, soot, or oil residue was observed.
The engine was examined; the crankshaft rotated with thumb compression in all cylinders, and valve and gear chain continuity was confirmed. No evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction was found.
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot sustained fatal injuries. An autopsy by the Oregon State Medical Examiner attributed cause of death to multiple blunt force injury. Toxicology tests by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and all screened drugs. Volatiles were detected: 22 mg/dl ethanol in cavity blood, 14 mg/dl in brain tissue, no ethanol in muscle tissue, and 1 mg/dl n-butanol in cavity blood.
Tests and Research
The alternator, voltage regulator, spike guard capacitor, and over voltage relay were sent to the manufacturer for evaluation. By serial numbers, the units were part of a generator-to-alternator conversion kit manufactured and shipped in 2000, with no evidence of overhaul. The alternator (part number 015-01237, serial 7813) had impact damage precluding bench testing; it was disassembled. Brushes were within operable limits, no arcing on slip rings, internal diodes intact, external diode plate bent. Rotor resistance tested at 3.8 ohms. About half of the output wire strands were broken at the terminal ring, ends oxidized, indicating a pre-existing condition. No main ground wire was installed as required by the wiring diagram.
The voltage regulator (part number 625-6123, serial 8883) was impact damaged but testable; it functioned at high and low loads with slight pulsation between 51 and 53 amps at highest load. The over voltage relay (unreadable serial) had impact damage; during functional testing, the circuit board appeared to try to open but the relay would not open due to impact damage. The spike guard capacitor (no serial) had impact damage with a ruptured disc.