History of Flight
On October 2, 2015, at about 1512 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registration N782TM, was destroyed when it collided with terrain after an in-flight breakup near Westminster, South Carolina. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Smith Family Aviation, LLC, and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed Warsaw Municipal Airport, Indiana, at about 1151, bound for Oconee County Regional Airport, Clemson, South Carolina.
According to air traffic control data, the en route portion was uneventful. Due to other traffic and weather, the pilot was instructed to hold at the ZEYLM intersection before executing the RNAV runway 7 approach. At 1504, Atlanta Center coordinated with Greer approach control for the hold at 6,000 ft msl. Radar data showed the airplane approached ZEYLM at 6,000 ft on a southeasterly heading, passing the fix at 1508:08. It then began a right turn consistent with the published holding pattern but continued a full 180° turn. At 1509:19, the flight was cleared for the approach; the pilot reported being outbound. About 1510:06, at 5,991 ft GPS altitude, the airplane entered a tightening, descending right turn, accelerating from 150 to 212 knots in 16 seconds. At 1510:56, a military pilot reported hearing a mayday call. The controller received no further response. Radar showed a right descending spiral until loss of contact over Lake Hartwell at about 2,200 ft msl. The last GPS point was at 1510:44 near the main wreckage.
Local witnesses reported hearing a loud boom and seeing white debris falling; one observed the airplane descending vertically in a spiral; another said the engine was running until impact.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 71, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument ratings. He reported 1,448 total hours on his most recent medical application (October 2013). His logbook showed 1,736.4 total hours as of the last entry on September 21, 2015, including 1,677.9 hours as pilot-in-command, 125.2 hours actual instrument, and 59.3 hours simulated instrument. In the previous 12 months, he logged 148.6 hours. His most recent flight review, completed August 28, 2015, included three instrument approaches and holding. The pilot's son, age 44, occupied the right cockpit seat; he held a student pilot certificate dated October 2013 with 40 hours reported.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane was manufactured in 1984. It was powered by a 300-hp Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D engine driving a Hartzell three-bladed constant-speed propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed October 28, 2014, at 4,817.5 airframe hours; about 135 hours were accrued since then.
Meteorological Information
The closest weather station (CEU, 14 nm northeast) reported at 1454: wind 040° at 10 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, light rain, broken clouds at 1,800 ft, overcast at 2,300 ft, temperature 17°C, dew point 14°C, altimeter 29.81 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The main wreckage—cabin, cockpit, engine, propeller, left wing, inboard half of right wing, and separated right flap—was found inverted in a wooded area about 50 yards north of Lake Hartwell. No fire occurred. The FBI Evidence Response Team searched for missing parts. Debris was found in a 1,400-ft-long, 500-ft-wide area south of the lake, including sections of stabilator, aileron, wing skin, and empennage with data plate. On December 2, 2015, divers recovered the outboard half of the right wing and the left stabilator from the lake. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were not located.
Examination revealed the left wing attached, landing gear extended and locked, and flaps retracted. The right wing had separated into inboard (8.5 ft) and outboard (6.75 ft) sections; no fatigue or corrosion was found. Aileron control cables exhibited broomstraw separations. The empennage was fragmented; the stabilator trim drum indicated about 50% nose-down trim. The engine had superficial impact damage; compression and suction were verified on all cylinders, and magneto spark was confirmed. The propeller blades showed aft bends and leading-edge erosion.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy attributed the pilot's death to blunt force trauma. Severe atherosclerosis was found, including near-total occlusion of right frontal and middle cerebral arteries, 80% occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary, and 40% occlusion of other coronaries. A pale area of myocardial fibrosis was noted. Toxicology testing detected chlorpheniramine (0.06 ug/ml) and pseudoephedrine in peripheral blood; ephedrine was also found in urine. Chlorpheniramine is a sedating antihistamine with a warning about impaired performance; pseudoephedrine is a decongestant not recommended for those with heart disease. The pilot's wife stated he was unaware of heart issues and avoided medications, including aspirin.