History of Flight
On June 9, 2016, about 1521 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140 airplane, registration N6223W, impacted a lake while departing from Wishek Municipal Airport (6L5), Wishek, North Dakota. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured, and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to the Cherokee Flying Club and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions existed at the time. The flight departed without a flight plan and was destined for Bismarck Municipal Airport (BIS), Bismarck, North Dakota.
According to the pilot's parents, he was flying his aunt and cousin to Bismarck so that his cousin could receive urgent dental care. The pilot was a member of the flying club that owned the airplane. Another club member, who spoke with the pilot about 10 minutes before departure, reported that he thought the pilot and passengers were rushing as they prepared to leave. A witness on the airport ramp saw the airplane depart on runway 14 and climb out with a nose-high attitude. After entering a right turn, the airplane rapidly pitched down to a nose-low attitude.
Data from a portable GPS navigation device found in the airplane revealed that after takeoff, the airplane made a right turn at 160 ft above ground level and 48 knots groundspeed. The right turn continued for 20 seconds, during which the airplane climbed about 30 ft and its groundspeed was between 53 and 59 knots. Over the next 8 seconds, the airplane rapidly descended about 200 ft and impacted a lake about 1/2 mile southwest of the airport.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 20, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, issued on November 9, 2015. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on July 22, 2015, with no restrictions. According to an insurance application dated January 12, 2016, the pilot had accumulated 55 total flight hours, of which 17 hours were in the accident airplane. The flying club member who spoke with the pilot before the flight stated that the pilot had flown the airplane a few times since returning from college in mid-May, including a flight on the evening before the accident. The pilot's logbook was not available for review.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1964 and equipped with a Lycoming O-320-E3D engine and a Sensenich two-blade, all-metal propeller. On April 1, 2016, the airplane underwent an annual inspection at an airframe total time of 3,459 hours and 1,235 hours since the engine was last overhauled. The accident occurred about 21 hours after this inspection. The airplane was equipped with a red stall warning light on the instrument panel but was not equipped with a stall warning horn.
The flaps-retracted stall speeds listed in the airplane's flight manual were 64 mph (calibrated airspeed) at 0° of bank and 73 mph (calibrated airspeed) at 40° of bank, equating to 56 knots at 0° bank and 64 knots at 40° bank. These stall speeds were based on a maximum gross weight of 2,150 pounds. At the time of the accident, the airplane's weight was estimated to be about 300 pounds less than maximum gross weight.
Meteorological Information
At 1552, the weather observation station at Bismarck Municipal Airport, located about 60 miles northwest of the accident site, reported wind 160° at 6 knots, 10 miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 33°C, dew point 15°C, and altimeter setting 29.67 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the airplane at the accident site revealed that it came to rest in a nose-down attitude in about 4 ft of water. The damage was consistent with a near-vertical descent with low forward velocity at impact. After recovery from the lake, the airplane and engine were examined in a nearby hangar. Both wings were intact and attached to the fuselage by the main wing spars. The main landing gear assemblies were attached to their respective wings, and both wing flaps were retracted.
Flight control surfaces remained attached to their respective airframe surfaces. No anomalies were noted with the flight control system. Stabilator and aileron control continuity were established from the respective controls to the "T" bar chain. Stabilator trim continuity was established from the trim tab to the trim crank handle in the overhead panel, and the stabilator trim barrel indicated a neutral trim setting. Rudder control continuity was established from the rudder to the rudder pedal assembly.
Both fuel tank caps were installed, and both fuel tank vents were clear of debris. The fuel selector valve was in the right-wing fuel tank position. A functional check using low pressure air revealed that the valve was functional. The fuel pump operated normally when hand rotated, and the carburetor was disassembled with no anomalies noted.
The propeller remained attached to the engine, and the spinner was attached to the spinner bulkhead and crushed aft. The propeller blades were minimally damaged, with one blade having minor abrasions on the leading edge of its tip.
The top Champion REM40E spark plugs were removed from the cylinders. All displayed a normal worn condition compared to the Champion Aviation Service Manual. After cleaning, both magnetos sparked normally at all leads during rotation.
The four cylinders remained attached to the crankcase. The rocker covers were removed, and no preaccident anomalies were noted with the rockers, rocker shafts, or valve springs. A borescope inspection of the cylinders revealed no anomalies with the pistons, cylinder barrels, cylinder heads, valves, or valve seats.
The engine exhaust system was impact damaged; however, the heat muff was intact with no significant cracks or exhaust erosion. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
On June 10, 2016, the North Dakota Department of Health medical examiner in Bismarck performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was blunt force injuries with drowning. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute performed toxicology tests on the pilot. The results were negative for all tests conducted.
Tests and Research
The portable GPS navigation device found in the airplane, a Garmin Aera 560, was recovered and evaluated by the NTSB Recorder Laboratory. Further details are available in the GPS Factual Report in the public docket for this investigation.