History of Flight
On April 27, 2014, about 2116 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-300 airplane, registration N8700E, was destroyed when it impacted the blades of a wind turbine tower 10 miles south of Highmore, South Dakota. The commercial pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Hereford Municipal Airport (KHRX), Hereford, Texas, at approximately 1700, en route to Highmore Municipal Airport (9D0), Highmore, South Dakota.
Family members reported that the pilot and passengers had been in Texas for business and had delayed their departure. The intended route likely included stopping at 9D0 to drop off a passenger before continuing to Gettysburg Municipal Airport (0D8), Gettysburg, South Dakota. A fixed base operator employee witnessed the pilot fuel the airplane with 82.59 gallons of fuel. The pilot commented that he was going to "top it off" because he had "pushed his luck on the trip down" and discussed rainy weather conditions in South Dakota.
At 1711, the pilot contacted Fort Worth Lockheed Martin Contract Flight Service Station and obtained an abbreviated weather briefing. Text messages were sent at 1812 ("Into KS aways"), 1923 ("into NE"), and 2054, indicating the flight was near Chamberlain, South Dakota. Witnesses reported seeing a low-flying airplane about 200 feet above ground, moving quickly, with no engine problems noted.
The airplane was reported missing by a family member when it did not arrive in Gettysburg. The wreckage was located by the Hyde County Fire Department and Sheriff's department at about 0330 on April 28, 2014. The pilot was not communicating with air traffic control, and radar data was unavailable.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 30, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument ratings. He was issued a second-class medical certificate on January 19, 2014, without limitations. He was a professional agricultural pilot with experience in the area. His logbook showed a total flight time of no less than 3,895.8 hours, including 100.7 hours in the accident make and model and 95.1 hours in the accident airplane. Night flying totaled 76.2 hours, with 1.1 hours in the previous 90 days. He was current for night passenger flight and had completed a flight review on January 18, 2013, and an instrument proficiency check in a PA-32R on February 7, 2014. The pilot was familiar with the accident area and had expressed concerns about the wind turbine farm to the FAA Flight Standards District Office.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA-32R-300 (serial number 32R-7680159) was manufactured in 1976 and held a standard airworthiness certificate. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D engine rated at 300 horsepower driving a two-blade Hartzell propeller. The airplane was equipped and certified for instrument flight. Maintenance records showed an annual inspection completed on April 17, 2013, at an airframe total time of 4,766 hours.
Meteorological Information
The closest weather observation station, Pierre Regional Airport (KPIR), 35 miles west, reported at 2124: wind from 010 degrees at 19 knots, visibility 10 miles, light rain, broken clouds at 1,000 feet, overcast at 1,600 feet, temperature 6°C, dew point 5°C, altimeter 29.37 inches. At 2139, visibility dropped to 4 miles with rain and mist, overcast ceiling at 800 feet. Huron Regional Airport (KHON), 53 miles east, reported at 2055: wind from 100 degrees at 20 knots gusting to 27 knots, visibility 10 miles, overcast at 1,000 feet. The National Weather Service surface analysis showed a low-pressure center in southern Nebraska with fronts extending across the region. AIRMETs were active for IFR conditions, moderate turbulence, and moderate icing. Sunset was at 2037, end of civil twilight at 2109. At the accident site, wind turbine #14 recorded wind at 21 mph and temperature 7°C.
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was level, vegetated terrain within a wind turbine farm. The airplane wreckage was fragmented and scattered around the base of wind turbine tower #14. The fuselage, empennage, engine, propeller, and both wings were accounted for among the debris. The left wing and right wing were separated and fragmented; fuel tanks were impact damaged. The fuel selector was found in an intermediate position between off and left main. The instrument panel was fragmented; the tachometer indicated 2,400–2,500 rpm, the altimeter was set to 29.27 inches, and the airspeed indicator showed 235 mph. The propeller separated; one blade exhibited S-bending and chord-wise scratches, the other had scratches and paint transfer. Flight control continuity could not be confirmed due to cable fractures.
Other Damage
Wind turbine tower #14, part of the South Dakota Wind Energy Center, was damaged. One of its three blades was fragmented into several large pieces, with some remaining attached. The other two blades exhibited leading-edge impact damage. The obstruction lighting system on the tower was not operational when recovered but functioned properly after replacement of a capacitor and flash tube.
Additional Information
The wind turbine farm was constructed in 2003 with 27 towers. Each tower is about 213 feet tall (hub height) with 100-foot blades. The FAA had issued a Determination of No Hazard to Air Navigation for the turbines in 2003, requiring marking and lighting. The accident wind farm was not depicted on the sectional charts in effect at the time of the accident; later chart editions added it.