History of Flight
On January 14, 2014, at about 1352 Pacific standard time, a Morrisey 2150 (registration N5102V) crashed into the Pacific Ocean after a wing separated during cruise flight near Pismo Beach, California. The airplane was destroyed, and the airline transport pilot and his pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The pilot/owner operated the flight under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which originated from Santa Maria Public Airport about 18 minutes before the accident. No flight plan was filed.
A witness, an FAA-certified mechanic who had recently performed an annual inspection of the airplane, observed the pilot and passenger performing a preflight inspection and fueling. The pilot boarded and occupied the front seat; the mechanic left as the passenger walked toward the airplane.
Radar data from the FAA tracked the flight path from takeoff to the accident site. The airplane performed a closed traffic pattern for a touch-and-go landing on runway 30 before departing westbound over the Pacific Ocean. After crossing the shoreline, it turned right approximately 90 degrees and flew northbound over San Luis Obispo Bay. The airplane climbed to a Mode C altitude of about 4,300 feet, then descended to 3,700 feet. Between 1351:22 and 1351:31, it descended from 3,700 to 2,500 feet, equivalent to about 8,000 feet per minute. From 1351:31 to the last data point at 1351:36, it descended from 2,500 to 1,200 feet, equivalent to about 15,600 feet per minute.
Witnesses reported seeing a "white streak" descending toward the ocean followed by a "loud boom." One witness stated he observed the airplane falling with an object that "appeared to be a wing" trailing behind. He estimated the airplane and separated wing fell for about 10 seconds before hitting the water; about 3 seconds later, he heard a crashing sound. Local law enforcement found small pieces of wood, paint chips, part of a headset, and human remains floating on the bay's surface.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 63, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiengine land and type ratings in DC-9, B-757, B-767, and B-777. He had commercial privileges in single-engine land airplanes and held a flight instructor certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings. He held a first-class medical certificate issued December 11, 2013, with the limitation "must wear corrective lenses." On the application, he reported 25,000 total flight hours, with 300 in the preceding 6 months.
The pilot-rated passenger, age 52, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multiengine land and a CL-65 type rating. He had commercial privileges in single-engine land airplanes and held a flight instructor certificate with single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument ratings. He did not hold a current medical certificate. On his most recent medical application (February 2, 2012), he reported 9,000 total flight hours, with 400 in the preceding 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a single-engine, propeller-driven, tandem-seat Morrisey 2150 with dual flight controls, manufactured by Morrisey Aviation in 1958. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-A2C engine rated at 150 horsepower. It was certificated in the normal category at a maximum weight of 1,817 pounds and in the utility category at 1,570 pounds. An engineer who worked for the manufacturer estimated empty weight at about 1,175 pounds. The airplane had a 17.5-gallon fuel tank in each wing, for total capacity of 35 gallons.
According to maintenance records, the most recent annual inspection was completed January 5, 2014, at a total time of 3,367.4 hours. The engine had 1,635.4 hours since major overhaul. The mechanic who performed the inspection reported that he and the pilot/owner performed it together and ran the engine for about 20 to 30 minutes. The accident flight was the airplane's first flight since the inspection. The mechanic described the airplane as in "great condition." The pilot normally topped off the fuel tanks when refueling.
A fuel receipt from Central Coast Jet Center at Santa Maria Public Airport indicated the pilot purchased 18.8 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel at 1319 on the accident day.
Meteorological Information
At 1351, weather conditions at Santa Maria Public Airport (located 145 degrees at 15 nautical miles from the accident site) were: wind 330 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; clear of clouds; temperature 83°F; dew point 15°F; altimeter 30.26 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
With the exception of a few small floating items, the wreckage was not recovered.
Medical and Pathological Information
The San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office positively identified the pilot and passenger through DNA testing. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute performed toxicology tests on a muscle specimen from the pilot; no ethanol or drugs were detected.