Flight History
On March 27, 2015, at 1835 central standard time, a Piper J-4A airplane, registration N30341, collided with terrain shortly after departing from Pine River Regional Airport (PWC) in Pine River, Minnesota. The private pilot and passenger were both fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The local flight was originating at the time.
A witness who had landed just before the accident reported hearing the airplane during takeoff, describing the engine sound as "normal for an older plane." She observed the airplane very low above the runway with its wings wobbling back and forth. The ground speed appeared very slow, approximately 20 miles per hour. The wings stopped rocking momentarily, but the airplane remained slow and just above the treeline as it crossed Highway 1 at the south end of the runway. She looked away and then heard an unusual noise just before impact.
Another witness saw the airplane flying south after takeoff, noting it was "wobbling" back and forth at low altitude. After crossing Highway 1, the airplane banked left, the nose rose, then descended, and the airplane entered a nose dive into the ground. Multiple other witnesses reported the airplane at low altitude with wings wobbling before banking left and descending.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 43, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating issued on June 13, 2000. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on September 27, 2013, without limitations. He also held an airframe and powerplant mechanic certificate. Review of his logbook showed entries from August 26, 1999, through September 29, 2013, with total flight time of 428.1 hours, including 6.7 hours in the accident airplane make and model. His family stated the last known flight was in 2013 and that he was diligent about logging flight time. The most recent flight review signoff was dated April 6, 2012.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a 1940 Piper J4A, serial number 4-1168, a single-engine, high-wing, two-place aircraft with fixed conventional landing gear. The fuselage and wings were fabric covered. The pilot became co-owner in July 2011, having previously been owned by his father. The pilot had signed off as having performed the most recent annual inspection on the airplane and engine. Tachometer time at accident was 1,273.86 hours. The last annual inspection was conducted on July 9, 2012, at tachometer time 1,267.2 hours and aircraft total time 2,860.2 hours. The airplane had flown 6.66 hours since that inspection. According to the logbook, the annual last inspection was dated August 1, 1991.
The airplane was equipped with a 65-horsepower Continental A65-8F engine. An engine logbook entry dated July 9, 2012, stated the engine was disassembled and overhauled, with tachometer time 1,267.2 hours and zero time since overhaul.
Meteorological Conditions
Weather recorded at PWC at 1834 reported wind from 150 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles or greater, ceiling 8,000 feet overcast, temperature 0°C, dew point -13°C, and altimeter 30.13 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted an open field about 1/4 mile from the departure end and 20 degrees left of the extended runway 16 centerline. Ground scars and damage indicated a nose-down, left-wing-low attitude at impact. Both wings, forward fuselage, and cockpit sustained impact damage. The nose pushed the engine, firewall, and instrument panel rearward into the cockpit, and the cockpit floor was crushed upward. The fuselage aft of the cockpit seats was intact with minor tubular frame bending; the empennage remained intact. The right wing was bent downward but attached; its outboard leading edge was flattened aft, and the inboard leading edge was crushed aft with yellow paint transfers contacting the engine cowling (red paint transferred). The left wing partially separated from the fuselage attach point; first responders removed it and cut aileron control cables for occupant access. The left wing sustained impact damage along its entire length, with a ground scar at the wing tip. The outboard section was bent up and rearward.
The fuel tank ruptured, and fuel leaked post-accident. Flight control cable continuity was established from cockpit controls to control surfaces. The propeller remained attached; one blade was bent aft under the engine, the other straight, with minor chordwise scratches and no twisting. The fuel selector was in the on position.
Engine rear impact damage included the firewall crushed into the rear; the oil tank, magnetos, and exhaust sustained impact. Half of each magneto housing case was missing, preventing testing, but visual inspection suggested they appeared capable of normal operation aside from impact damage. Top spark plugs (except fractured #4) appeared normal with light carbon deposits. The oil dipstick indicated just below 4 quarts; the oil screen had moderate metal particles but no indication of lubrication lack. Hand-turning the propeller produced thumb compression and suction on all cylinders, and continuity was established from the engine front to magneto drive gears and to cylinder valve components.
The carburetor throttle valve linkage was intact and operable. The metal float was secure and intact. Approximately 1 ounce of pale yellow fuel (appearing automotive) was drained from the carburetor bowl, with no debris. The thumb screen and housing contained debris but not enough to block fuel flow completely. The exhaust system muffler sustained impact damage matching the shroud damage.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on March 28, 2015, at the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office attributed death to multiple traumatic injuries. A Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute detected ephedrine in urine but not in cavity blood, and pseudoephedrine in both urine and cavity blood.