History of Flight
On December 19, 2015, at 1556 Pacific standard time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T airplane, N36402, experienced an in-flight breakup near Bakersfield, California. The pilot, his wife, and their three children sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed. It was registered to RAD Aviation LLC and operated by the private pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a cross-country personal flight. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the nearest weather reporting station, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was activated during the flight. The flight departed Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, California, at 1435, with a planned destination of Henderson Executive Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada.
Radar tracking and audio communications from the FAA indicated that after departure, the airplane climbed southeast. The pilot requested VFR flight-following services. During initial climb, the pilot reported wanting to climb to 15,500 ft msl to stay above clouds. As the flight progressed, the controller issued advisories for an approaching band of moderate-to-heavy precipitation. At 1502, the pilot contacted Oakland Center and leveled at 15,500 ft. Ten minutes later, an unannounced climb began. A conflict alert occurred with SkyWest 2955. The pilot stated he would climb over the weather and level at 16,500 ft. At 1516, the pilot requested climb to 17,500 ft and direct to Paso Robles. The airplane then turned east and later south. At 1524, after reaching Paso Robles, the airplane turned east toward Bakersfield. The pilot was transferred to Los Angeles Center. At 1537, the controller relayed moderate precipitation areas. The pilot reported seeing clouds. At 1550, the controller offered an IFR clearance, and the pilot accepted, requesting 15,000 ft. About 90 seconds later, the airplane turned left northeast. The controller issued a heading change, but the airplane continued northeast then climbed left to 350°, reaching 15,600 ft. The controller directed an immediate right turn. The airplane descended to 13,800 ft eastbound. The pilot transmitted two mayday calls. At 1556:10, the last radar target showed 11,200 ft. Wreckage was located at 1924 by Kern County Sheriff's Department.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land rating (issued July 2012) but no instrument rating. He held a third-class FAA medical certificate issued May 16, 2012, valid until May 31, 2017. His logbook showed 269.5 total flight hours as of December 9, 2015. He had 3.1 hours of simulated instrument time and 0.8 hour in actual instrument conditions during two IFR training flights in February 2014. He completed a flight review in July 2014 and had 28.3 hours of night flying. He began flying the accident airplane 6 months before the accident, logging 56.5 hours in 26 flights. The accident flight was his first to Henderson in that airplane.
Aircraft Information
The Piper PA-32RT-300T (1978) was single-engine, T-tail, equipped with conventional vacuum and electrically driven gyroscopic instruments for IFR. It was powered by a Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD engine. Total time was 3,840.38 hours. An annual inspection was completed April 18, 2015. The airplane had an AltiMatic IIIC autopilot. A logbook entry on August 21, 2015, stated "Gyrocompass Inop, Autopilot Inop." A subsequent entry on August 28 noted installation of an overhauled directional gyro. A co-owner stated the autopilot was operational and reliable. The airplane was not approved for flight into icing conditions.
Meteorological Information
The pilot filed a VFR flight plan and obtained electronic weather briefings via DUATS the night before and the morning of the flight. The filed route included Paso Robles and Bakersfield at 13,500 ft. The airplane was not equipped with weather radar or data uplink. Synoptic conditions showed a low pressure center near the accident site. An area forecast included ceilings broken at 1,000 ft with tops to FL200, visibility 3-5 miles, mist, and light rain. AIRMETs for IFR, mountain obscuration, and moderate icing were active. Surface observations at Bakersfield at 1554 showed wind 170° at 3 knots, 4 miles visibility, light rain, mist, ceiling 5,000 ft broken. NEXRAD imagery indicated a 17,000-ft band of reflectivity ahead of the airplane at 1552. The airplane entered the band and turned northeast toward heavier reflectivity.
Wreckage and Impact Information
All wreckage was within an almond orchard at elevation 340 ft. The debris field was 1/2-mile long and 700 ft wide, oriented south-to-north. Heavier components, including the engine and forward cabin, were at the southern end. Cabin seats, baggage, and vertical stabilizer were about 800 ft north. Both wings and cabin roof fragments were 400 ft farther north. Lighter debris, including stabilator sections, were 700 ft farther north, and the left aileron was last. No thermal damage was evident. The right wing had separated at its root; the main spar was fractured at the splice joint with buckled and deformed upper and lower caps. The left wing remained attached to the center fuselage.