Accident Overview
On March 27, 2016, at about 1636 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-23-250, registration N22AM, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a highway near Danville, Virginia. The private pilot reported minor injuries, and the three passengers were not injured. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight, departing Charleston International Airport (CHS), South Carolina, at about 1330, destined for Martin State Airport (MTN), Baltimore, Maryland. No flight plan was filed. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) were reported in the area.
Flight History
According to air traffic control transcripts, before departure, the controller advised the pilot of 700 ft cloud bases and asked if he was instrument flight rules qualified. The pilot confirmed he was but stated the airplane was not, and he intended to depart under visual flight rules. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot struggled to maintain assigned headings and reported being "between layers." About 90 minutes into the flight, the controller asked if he was returning to his destination; the pilot replied he was in the middle of clouds and requested heading information. The controller offered assistance, but the pilot declined, stating he would turn back on course. The pilot then reported an intermittent engine and requested diversion to the nearest airport.
Minutes later, the pilot advised ATC that both engines were functioning. He continued to have difficulty maintaining headings and received no-gyro radar vectors. The controller asked if he could determine a vacuum failure; the pilot asked how to check. The controller repeatedly asked the pilot to maintain altitude, and the pilot stated he was in IMC and requested assistance. About 2 hours into the flight, the pilot elected to divert to Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA), Roanoke, Virginia. About 2 hours 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot declared mayday, reporting loss of both engines. The pilot later stated he was using a navigation application on a personal electronic device.
The pilot reported departing with 5 hours of fuel for the planned 2-hour 30-minute flight. After switching fuel tanks and turning on fuel pumps, power briefly returned to the right engine, followed by an abrupt loss of power in both engines. The pilot performed a forced landing on a highway. During landing, the airplane struck a tree and came to rest inverted in a grassy area along the road.
Aircraft and Engine Examination
Photographs taken by an FAA inspector showed damage to both wings and fuselage, with the aircraft inverted. The right wing, outboard of the right engine, was folded under the engine, and the right wing tip separated, along with the right outboard fuel tank. Examination of the wreckage and engines revealed impact damage to the right engine; the left engine was undamaged. No fuel was found in the right fuel tanks, which were compromised during impact. The left inboard fuel tank contained a trace amount of fuel, and there was no grass blighting around the wreckage. Fuel lines from the left and right fuel pump to the fuel injector were secure and intact, but no fuel was observed when disconnected. Similar findings applied to lines from the injector to the fuel flow divider. Due to the lack of integrity of the right fuel tanks and minimal fuel in the left tanks, the quantity of fuel at the time of the accident could not be determined.
The airplane was equipped with two Lycoming TIO-540, 250-horsepower, six-cylinder piston engines. The right engine's No. 1 cylinder rocker cover and connecting rods sustained impact damage, separating them from the cylinder. A borescope revealed the exhaust valve head inside the cylinder, preventing full 360-degree manual rotation. Valve train continuity was established on cylinders 2 through 6. On the left engine, rocker covers were removed, and no preimpact mechanical damage was found on rockers, valve springs, or valve seats. Manual rotation established continuity of the drive train, crankshaft, and camshaft, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. Magnetos on both engines produced spark on all leads. The left and right vacuum pump thrust couplings were fractured with rotational scoring, consistent with pump failure during engine operation.
Maintenance and Weather
Airframe and engine logbooks were unavailable, but the mechanic who inspected the airplane about three weeks before the accident stated that the engines, propellers, and airframe had undergone an annual inspection. The airplane was taxied for several hours, and all systems were tested for proper operation.
The closest weather reporting facility, Danville Regional Airport (DAN), about 14 miles east, reported at 1653: wind from 080 at 5 knots, visibility 9 statute miles, overcast ceiling at 400 ft, temperature 13°C, dew point 12°C, altimeter 30.14 inches of mercury. The pilot did not obtain a weather briefing before departure.
Pilot Information
The pilot's total flight experience at the time of the accident could not be reconciled. In his most recent application for an FAA medical certificate on June 30, 2015, he reported 2,200 total hours of flight experience.