History of Flight
On May 27, 2013, about 1805 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registration N4489F, was destroyed following a collision with terrain while on approach to Middle Georgia Regional Airport (MCN), Macon, Georgia. The airline transport pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Apalachicola Regional Airport (AAF), Apalachicola, Florida, destined for Greenville Downtown Airport (GMU), Greenville, South Carolina.
Review of FAA air traffic control transcripts revealed that the pilot requested a precautionary landing at MCN due to a low oil pressure indication. The controller issued a clearance, assigned a 360-degree heading for a modified left base for a visual approach to runway 23, and cleared the aircraft to 3,000 feet. Personnel at Robins Air Force Base (WRB) were advised and approved the transition through their airspace. After the pilot reported MCN in sight, about 5 miles south, the controller cleared the pilot for the visual approach. Before switching to MCN tower, the controller offered assistance, but the pilot declined.
On initial contact with MCN, the pilot reported that the engine had lost all power and that he would not make it to runway 23. The local controller offered runway 31 for a straight-in approach, but the pilot requested landing on runway 15 at WRB. Coordination was made with WRB, and the pilot was advised to contact WRB tower. The pilot never established communication with WRB, and the airplane crashed approximately 0.8 mile northeast of WRB, about 3 miles southeast of MCN. Smoke was observed from WRB tower and verified by an airborne aircraft.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 58, held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument ratings, as well as a flight instructor certificate. He reported 10,050 total flight hours, including 120 hours in the last six months, on his most recent FAA medical certificate application dated August 17, 2004, when he was issued a second-class limited medical certificate with waivers for corrective lenses. His flight logbook was not available for review.
Aircraft Information
The four-seat, low-wing airplane, serial number 32R-7680452, was manufactured in 1976. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D, 300-horsepower engine equipped with a Hartzell HC-C3AYR-1RF three-bladed propeller. Maintenance records showed an annual inspection was completed on August 16, 2012, at a tachometer time of 1750.7 hours and total airframe time of 5917.8 hours. Review of FAA Airworthiness Directive (AD) compliance records revealed that AD 95-26-13 (oil cooler hose replacement) was complied with on May 11, 2006, but at the last annual inspection, it was 354.3 hours overdue and not accomplished. AD 02-12-07 (oil filter converter plate gasket) was recorded as complied with on April 22, 2002, but the AD was not effective until July 3, 2002, and no record showed it was accomplished after that date.
Meteorological Information
The recorded weather at WRB (elevation 294 feet) at 1758 included wind from 150 degrees at 4 knots, clear sky, temperature 30°C, dew point 17°C, and altimeter setting 30.12 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located about 0.8 mile north of the runway 15 threshold, in a heavily wooded swamp. The airplane came to rest upright at the base of a stump, in a flat attitude, on a course of about 275 degrees. The cockpit, forward cabin, and left wing were damaged by a post-crash fire. No tree strikes were observed south of the main wreckage, and all flight control surfaces were within the wreckage area.
Examination of the cockpit showed the rudder pedal assembly separated from the structure, with both rudder cable attachment levers broken from the tube at the weld point. The control column assembly separated and was fire damaged. The aileron chains were not attached to the sprockets. The fuel selector valve was found in the right fuel tank position but not in its detent. The nose landing gear assembly remained partially attached to the engine mount, but its position could not be determined due to damage.
The left wing separated at the wing root and broke into two sections between the flap and aileron. The inboard fuel tank separated and was destroyed by fire. The aileron cables exhibited overload-type separation in the wing root area. The left main landing gear was in the retracted position. The right wing also separated at the wing root and was partially consumed by fire. Both fuel tanks were destroyed. The aileron cables showed overload separation signatures. The right main landing gear was in the retracted position and fire damaged.
The empennage separated from the cabin area due to fire. The rear empennage was intact; all movable control surfaces remained attached. The left horizontal stabilizer sustained leading-edge impact damage. The rudder remained attached to the vertical fin and was impact damaged. Control cables were attached.
The engine crankcase was fractured near cylinders 4, 5, and 6. The camshaft was fractured above cylinders 5 and 6. Connecting rods 4, 5, and 6 separated from the crankshaft. Rod bearings showed wiping, scoring, and material extrusion. The accessory case was melted near the oil filter mounting boss. The hydraulic hose fitting from the right oil cooler to the accessory case was fractured. The oil suction screen was almost completely obstructed by metallic debris. The oil filter element was charred with less debris. The oil coolers were intact. The fuel injector servo remained attached but fire damaged. The number 5 cylinder fuel nozzle was obstructed with molten metal debris.
The propeller remained attached; blades showed aft bending and one blade was partially melted. The propeller governor was attached and no debris noted in its screen.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies performed on both occupants by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation noted the cause of death as multiple blunt trauma. Toxicological testing by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory detected no drugs in body cavity blood for either individual.
Tests and Research
On June 7, 2013, the accessory case cover with oil filter mounting plate, hose fitting, and oil hose were examined at the NTSB Materials Laboratory. The fitting on the crankcase side of the hose was fractured. Microscopic examination revealed a slant fracture with rough texture consistent with overstress separation, with no evidence of fatigue cracking. An adapter attached to the fractured fitting had external threads covered with solidified metal. The mating internal threads on the accessory case were severely deformed by fire. The adapter contained material consistent with a gasket near the external threads.