History of Flight
On July 14, 2015, about 1004 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N555PK, impacted terrain near Brazoria, Texas. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The flight instructor and student pilot were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight; no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from Pearland Regional Airport (LVJ), Pearland, Texas, about 0910.
Witnesses reported that the flight instructor and student pilot arrived at the airport about 0800. A fuel receipt from the LVJ fixed-base operator showed that the student pilot purchased 59.7 gallons of 100 low lead aviation gasoline that morning. Witnesses also reported seeing the pair get a weather briefing. Airport security cameras captured them walking toward the airplane at 0847 and the airplane taxiing north toward the active runway at 0902.
A review of radar data from the Houston Air Route Traffic Control Center showed that the airplane first appeared on radar about 0915 near LVJ. At 1001:48, the airplane was flying on a southwesterly heading at 2,300 ft. It then entered a gradual descent, continuing until 1003:45, at which point it had descended to 1,900 ft. At 1004:09, the airplane entered a left descending turn from 1,300 ft. At 1004:21, it was at 1,100 ft. The last radar target was recorded at 1004:33 when the airplane was at 600 ft. By that time, the airplane had turned about 270°.
There were no known witnesses to the accident. A motorist driving on a remote road in the San Bernard Wildlife Refuge saw the wreckage and called 9-1-1 about 1130.
Personnel Information
The flight instructor held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single-engine and multiengine land ratings, a Beech 300 type rating, and commercial privileges with a rotorcraft-helicopter rating. He held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine, multiengine, and instrument ratings. He also held an experimental aircraft repairman certificate. His second-class medical certificate, dated March 6, 2015, contained the restriction: "Must wear corrective lenses." When he filed his application for that medical certificate, he estimated his total flight time as 4,658 hours, with 113 hours accrued in the previous 6 months.
The student pilot held a student pilot certificate and a third-class medical certificate, dated December 8, 2014, with the limitations: "Must have available glasses for near vision. Not valid for any class after December 31, 2014." His logbook contained entries from August 7, 2013, through April 21, 2015. According to the logbook, he had only flown with an instructor once for 2 hours. The logbook indicated the student pilot had 94.9 hours of total time in single-engine airplanes, 2.2 hours of which were as pilot-in-command (solo). He had received 92.7 hours of dual instruction and 2.6 hours of simulated instrument training.
Aircraft Information
The fixed-landing gear airplane, serial number 32-7940100, was manufactured in 1979. It was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 engine, rated at 300 horsepower at 2700 rpm, and equipped with a Hartzell three-bladed, all-metal, constant-speed propeller (serial number B4981U).
According to maintenance records, the last annual inspection of the airframe was completed on September 10, 2014, at an airframe time of 5,393.8 hours. The engine was overhauled on October 12, 2000, at 3,975.55 total hours, and had accrued an additional 1,500.8 hours since the overhaul. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 5,4821.9 total hours.
Meteorological Information
The closest official weather reporting station was at Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport (LBX), Angleton/Lake Jackson, Texas, located 14 miles north-northeast of the accident location. At 0953, the LBX Automated Surface Observation System reported wind from 190° at 12 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 2,800 feet, temperature 31° C, dew point 22° C, and altimeter setting of 29.94 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site revealed evidence of a tree strike. The fuselage was aligned on a magnetic heading of 225°. There was a significant fuel spill at the scene, but no post-impact fire. A sample of the fuel was examined, and no evidence of fuel contamination was found. The wreckage was fragmented along the ground for about 110 feet, and the outer portion of the left wing was completely separated near the initial impact scar. The forward cabin roof, from the instrument panel aft to the forward side window, was sheared and bent upward about 90°. The windshield and all windows were destroyed. The forward cabin door remained attached to its hinges and was lying across the left wing. The aft cabin and cargo door remained attached to the fuselage. The forward baggage compartment door was destroyed. The emergency locator transmitter switch was in the "off" position.
The engine compartment and forward cockpit area were impact damaged and partially separated from the main cabin area and the fuselage, which was in a nose-down position. The engine remained attached to the firewall, and the propeller remained attached to the engine. The nose landing gear had separated from the firewall. The firewall was crushed against the instrument panel, which was crushed upward. All instrumentation and circuit breakers were destroyed. Both control shafts, control wheels, and rudder pedals were destroyed. Flight control continuity was partially established. The engine power controls were in the "full forward" position. The flap control was in the "up" position. The fuel selector was positioned to the right main tank. The electric (auxiliary) fuel boost pump switch was on.
The vertical stabilizer remained attached to the empennage but was impact damaged, consistent with a tree strike. The rudder remained attached to the vertical stabilizer. The left wing was separated from the fuselage, but the right wing remained attached. All three propeller blades were bent aft about 40°, consistent with low rotation at impact. The spinner was crushed around the propeller hub. Partial disassembly of the engine revealed no discrepancies or anomalies that would have precluded power from being developed.
Medical and Pathological Information
The 57-year-old male CFI had reported hay fever, high blood pressure, LASIK eye surgery, and a history of a kidney stone to the FAA. His reported medications included losartan and amlodipine, both blood pressure medications not considered impairing. According to the autopsy performed by the County of Galveston Medical Examiner's Office, the cause of death was blunt force injuries and the manner of death was accident. Toxicology testing by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory identified amlodipine, losartan, doxylamine (0.116 ug/ml), and phentermine (0.343 ug/ml) in cardiac blood. All of these and naproxen, desmethylsildenafil, and oxymetazoline were found in urine. Amlodipine, losartan, naproxen, desmethylsildenafil, and oxymetazoline are not considered impairing. Doxylamine is a potentially impairing antihistamine used primarily as a sleep aid. Phentermine is an amphetamine-class drug considered potentially impairing, indicated for short-term treatment of obesity.
The 63-year-old male student pilot had reported hypertension and type 2 diabetes to the FAA. He reported his medications as valsartan (not considered impairing), a combination of sitagliptin and metformin (Janumet) for type 2 diabetes, and simvastatin (not considered impairing). While Janumet is not directly impairing, it may cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which is impairing. Autopsy determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries, manner of death accident. Toxicology identified sitagliptin, valsartan, and vardenafil in blood and urine. Vardenafil is used for erectile dysfunction and carries a warning about temporary changes in color vision but no warnings about performance impairment.