History of Flight
On December 24, 2014, at 1254 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registration N38884, impacted trees and terrain during a missed approach from an instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 4 at St Clair County International Airport (PHN), Port Huron, Michigan. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to GL Holdings LLC and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed at the time of the accident with weather below approach minimums. The flight operated on an instrument flight rules flight plan and departed from Hanover County Municipal Airport (OFP), Richmond, Virginia, at 1025 destined for PHN.
The pilot contacted Lockheed Martin Flight Service (LMFS) several times before departure. On December 23, 2014, at 1308, the pilot called for a flight from OFP to PHN with a departure time of 1500. The pilot discussed weather minimums with the briefer, who provided TAF information for Selfridge Air National Guard Base (MTC) and the destination. The pilot made another call on December 24, 2014, at 0917, receiving an official weather briefing that included Area Forecast, AIRMETs, PIREPs, and the TAF from MTC. The conditions were forecast as low IFR. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan at 0956:48 with LMFS, listing departure time 1030, destination PHN, route direct, altitude 8,000 feet, fuel endurance 6:00, and alternate airport Saginaw County H W Browne Airport (HYX).
A line service employee at OFP reported that the airplane departed mid-morning after receiving 104.2 gallons of fuel. The airplane started and idled normally, with no apparent defects.
Communications with MTC approach showed the pilot reported level at 8,000 feet. The controller provided an altimeter setting of 29.41 inches of mercury, asked about the current weather at PHN, and cleared the pilot for the ILS 4 approach after vectors. The pilot acknowledged and later reported "triple eight four missed approach." About 45 seconds later, the controller attempted contact but received no further transmissions.
A witness living about two miles northwest of PHN reported hearing the airplane approach from the south around 1252. The witness noted dense fog with visibility about 1/4 mile or less and ceiling 150 to 200 feet. The witness heard engines go to full throttle, out of sync for a few seconds, then synced, consistent with a missed approach. The witness heard engine sounds past the missed approach point, then sounds of an engine chewing trees for 5 to 10 seconds, followed by an abrupt stop.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 52, held an FAA private pilot certificate with single-engine and multiengine land ratings issued January 27, 2011. The FAA certificate was only valid when accompanied by a Canadian pilot certificate with a multiengine instrument rating, which was not transferred. The pilot held a Canadian airman medical certificate, category 3, issued March 2013, with limitation "glasses must be worn." A recovered logbook showed total flight time: single-engine 166.1 hours pilot-in-command and 73.6 hours dual; multiengine 328.2 hours pilot-in-command and 58.8 hours dual. Instrument experience: 175.9 hours in instrument conditions, 21.5 hours hood, 11.2 hours simulator, 53 instrument approaches. In December 2014, the pilot flew three instrument approaches.
Aircraft Information
N38884 was a 1977 Piper PA-34-200T, serial number 34-7770352, registered to GL Holdings LLC on December 23, 2011. It was powered by two Continental Motors L/TSIO-360-EB engines. The last annual inspection was July 25, 2014, with aircraft total time 7,797.9 hours. The tachometer at the accident site indicated 1,614.9 hours.
Meteorological Information
The Area Forecast issued at 0545 valid at the accident time forecast overcast ceiling 2,000 feet msl, visibility 3 miles, light rain, mist, with IFR outlook. TAFs from nearby stations CYZR and DET forecast LIFR conditions. PHN weather at 1257 reported calm wind, 1/4 mile visibility, fog, overcast ceiling 200 feet, temperature and dew point 6°C. Weather from 1217 to 1317 showed similar conditions. Alternate airport HYX reported visibility 2.5 to 5 miles, overcast ceilings 300-500 feet.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The main wreckage was located about 0.39 miles on a heading of 336 degrees from the departure end of runway 4, in a wooded area with trees 40-50 feet tall. The wreckage path was about 275 feet long on a heading of 032 degrees through trees, containing broken trees and wing pieces. The main wreckage included fuselage and empennage. No soot or fire damage was evident. Control cable continuity was verified to the cockpit. The right wing was fragmented; left wing outboard section separated. Both landing gear and propeller separations were consistent with overload. The flap handle was set to 25 degrees.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the St. Clair County Office of the Medical Examiner listed cause of death as multiple blunt traumatic injuries, manner of death as accident. FAA toxicology reported oxymetazoline in urine (a decongestant), no ethanol, carbon monoxide, or cyanide detected.
Tests and Research
Both engines were examined at Continental Motors with no mechanical abnormalities found. Radar data from Mount Clemens airport surveillance radar plotted the flight track; the last recorded radar altitude was 1,100 feet about 0.7 miles from the approach end of runway 4.