Flight History
On April 11, 2014, at 1653 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, N39965, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain near Hugheston, West Virginia. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The personal flight departed Akron Fulton International Airport (AKR), Akron, Ohio, about 1513, and was destined for Spartanburg Downtown Memorial Airport (SPA), Spartanburg, South Carolina, under instrument flight rules.
Air traffic control (ATC) radar data and communications indicated that after departure, the pilot climbed to 12,000 feet. About 1604, the controller advised of an area of moderate-to-extreme precipitation ahead and asked the pilot to choose a deviation. The pilot acknowledged and later requested a 30-degree left deviation based on onboard weather radar. Between 1624 and 1627, the aircraft began a right turn followed by a left 90-degree turn, with altitude varying between 11,700 and 12,400 feet. The controller asked if the pilot needed assistance; the pilot replied he was deviating left. Subsequently, the aircraft entered a descending left turn, and the controller noted the aircraft was below its assigned altitude. The pilot stated he was trying to climb back to 12,000 feet but remained around 9,500 feet. At 1631, the aircraft entered a steep right turn, descending from 9,800 to 7,300 feet in 23 seconds. By 1637, it was descending through 6,500 feet. The controller advised a heading of 270 degrees and asked if the pilot wanted to divert to Charleston (CRW). The pilot responded he was working on the climb. At 1640, the controller asked for heading verification; the pilot stated 270 but the aircraft was on 210 degrees. After 1645, radar showed climbs to 12,700 feet followed by erratic turns and a rapid descent until radar contact was lost at about 1652.
Two witnesses near the accident site observed the aircraft in a nose-down, right bank attitude descending into trees and heard an impact. Another witness reported hearing the engine sputter and rev loudly before seeing the aircraft in a steep, nose-down attitude; it disappeared behind a ridge followed by a thud.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for single-engine land/sea, multiengine land, and instrument airplane, as well as a flight instructor certificate. His most recent FAA second-class medical was issued September 2013. On an October 2013 insurance application, he reported 200 hours in the previous 12 months and 205 hours in the accident airplane make/model. His logbooks showed total flight time of about 1,024 hours, with 10 hours in the accident airplane in the preceding 6 months, including 6.2 hours of actual instrument experience and 7 instrument approaches.
Aircraft Information
The 1978 Piper PA-32RT-300T was equipped with a Lycoming TIO-540 series, 300 hp turbocharged reciprocating engine. The most recent annual inspection was completed on May 17, 2013, at a total aircraft time of 3,344.8 hours.
Meteorological Conditions
SIGMETs were issued for the area beginning 1155, warning of a line of weather about 40 miles wide with embedded thunderstorms, cloud tops to 34,000 feet, moving west to east. AIRMETs forecast moderate icing, moderate turbulence, and instrument meteorological conditions with ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibility below 3 miles. The pilot was not provided AIRMET or SIGMET information by ATC. An Area Forecast valid for the accident time forecast broken ceilings at 6,000 feet, scattered light rain showers and thunderstorms with tops to 38,000 feet.
A surface analysis at 1700 showed a cold front from western Pennsylvania to western Kentucky and a trough across the accident site. Upper air soundings from Roanoke, Virginia (KRNK) indicated a conditionally unstable environment, likely clouds from 9,000 to 14,000 feet, moderate rime icing, and freezing level at about 9,900 feet. Satellite imagery at 1645 and 1715 showed abundant cloud cover and overshooting tops indicating updraft activity. The closest weather radar (KRLX) indicated that between 1620 and 1630, the aircraft passed through precipitation with echoes between 30-50 dBZ, and from 1645 onward, echoes between 15-40 dBZ. Several lightning flashes were detected near the aircraft. Multiple pilot reports (PIREPs) in the area noted moderate rime icing at altitudes between 10,500 and 16,500 feet. The 1654 observation at Yeager Airport (CRW) included calm winds, 8 miles visibility, light rain, broken ceiling at 7,000 feet, overcast at 9,500 feet, temperature 15°C, dew point 14°C.
Wreckage and Impact
The wreckage was located on a densely wooded hillside at about 1,400 feet elevation. The initial impact point was marked by broken tree branches and the right wingtip fairing. The wreckage path measured about 300 feet on a 360-degree heading. Pieces from both wings, vertical stabilizer, rudder, and horizontal stabilizers were found. Examination revealed that both wings were destroyed and separated from the fuselage. Control continuity was established with overload failures. The engine was separated and impact-damaged but rotation confirmed continuity; borescope examination revealed no anomalies. The propeller hub was fractured; one blade showed s-bending and leading edge gouging, the other similar damage with tip curling. The attitude indicator and directional gyro rotors showed rotational scoring consistent with operation at impact. An Appareo Stratus receiver and iPad were found; the Stratus receives ADS-B traffic and FIS-B weather data, including NEXRAD, SIGMETs, AIRMETs, NOTAMs, and PIREPs. No oxygen tanks or masks were found.
Additional Information
Interviews with Indianapolis Center personnel indicated that the meteorologist (MET) had briefed controllers on heavy showers, thunderstorms, icing, and turbulence. The front line manager (FLM) rated traffic load as 4/5 and complexity as 3/5, and stated she did not consider the accident airplane in an emergency until radar/radio contact was lost. The R24 controller rated traffic load as 5/5 and complexity as 4/5, and described the weather as a long line with extreme precipitation. He observed the aircraft attempting to pick through weather and assigned headings to help, but noted the pilot did not maintain assigned heading or altitude.