History of Flight
On May 27, 2017, about 1101 Alaska daylight time, a Piper PA-30, registration N7376Y, collided with the ground shortly after a low-level pass over a remote airstrip at Glacier Point, located about 12 miles southeast of Haines, Alaska. The pilot and a pilot-rated passenger in the right front seat were fatally injured; a rear-seated passenger was seriously injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Juneau International Airport (PAJN) about 1015 and was destined for Haines Airport (PAHN).
An eyewitness across Chilkat Inlet, about 2 miles east of Glacier Point, observed the airplane flying northbound at tree level near the airstrip. As the airplane reached the end of the airstrip, it dropped in altitude, banked to the right, and impacted the shoreline in a right-wing-down, nose-down attitude. The wreckage came to rest near the edge of a canal about 1/4-mile northeast of the north end of the airstrip. The eyewitness and three others responded by boat and called authorities when cell coverage became available. Upon arrival, the rear-seated passenger was the only responsive occupant; he could not be removed immediately. Tidal water soon flooded the airplane. A tractor from a local tour facility dragged the airplane to shallow water, and authorities extricated the passengers.
According to the rear-seated passenger, about 20 minutes into the flight, the pilot intentionally shut down the right engine to demonstrate restart procedures during flight. Despite several attempts, the engine would not restart with electrical power. The pilot then attempted two air starts by gaining altitude and diving to use airflow to rotate the engine. After two unsuccessful attempts, the pilot decided to descend, fly to the airstrip at Glacier Point, and use a battery booster (located in the baggage compartment) after landing to start the engine. As the airplane approached the airstrip, the pilot made a low-level pass to check the surface; this was the last thing the passenger remembered.
A friend of the pilot reported flying with him the day before the accident. While taxiing at PAJN, the left engine stalled, and the pilot could not restart due to low battery power. They taxied back to the hangar, replaced the battery with one from a floatplane, but still could not start either engine. The pilot then jumpstarted both engines using a motor vehicle's battery, and the flight to Gustavus Airport (PAGS) was uneventful. The friend noted the pilot normally carried a handheld battery booster but had loaned it to ground personnel at PAJN.
Aircraft Information
The 1964 Piper PA-30 was an all-metal, twin-engine airplane with retractable tricycle landing gear and electrically operated flaps. It was powered by two Lycoming IO-320-B1A (left) and LIO-320-B1A (right) reciprocating engines, each rated at 160 horsepower. The right engine had a counter-rotating kit. Each engine drove a Hartzell two-blade, constant-speed propeller with feathering capability.
The electrical system was a 12-volt, direct-current, negative-ground system with two 12-volt, 50-ampere alternators as the primary source, controlled by an overvoltage relay and voltage regulator. A 12-volt, 35-ampere hour battery provided backup power for starting and reserve. The battery was mounted aft of the baggage compartment. The charging system had been modified on December 8, 1993, by replacing generators with alternators per STC SA334SW. If both alternators failed, only the battery remained; if depleted, the Pilot's Operating Handbook required landing with flaps retracted and manual gear extension, with approach speed not exceeding 100 mph (87 knots). The airplane was also modified with LoPresti front cowlings (STC SA3302SO), which prevented visual inspection of the alternator belts without removing the upper cowling.
The last annual inspection entry was August 20, 2014, at 4,769 total flight hours. No engine maintenance records were found. The Hobbs meter was not recovered; tachometer time could not be determined due to impact damage.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The impact site was on the western tidal flats of Chilkat Inlet, about 1/4-mile northeast of the north end of the Glacier Point airstrip. Examination revealed impact damage consistent with a right-wing-down, nose-down attitude. The airplane remained intact; all flight controls were accounted for with cable continuity confirmed. Landing gear was down, with the gear position switch in the down position. The gear extension motor release arm was disengaged, and the emergency extension handle was installed in its socket. Flaps were up; the flap lever was down.
Both engines separated from their wing mounts but remained partially attached by control cables and tubing. The left propeller had one blade in a feathered/high pitch position and the other rotated beyond feathered; both blades showed leading edge gouging, twisting toward high pitch, and forward bending. One blade tip had fractured and was recovered. The right propeller had both blades feathered; one blade was bent rearward with no twisting, the other undamaged. The elevator trim actuator was full nose-down; rudder trim was nose-left.
Examination of the right engine revealed a bent crankshaft propeller flange and impact-damaged rocker covers. Exterior surfaces had dark oily residue, including on the alternator pulley and belt. The alternator was undamaged and secure; wiring was intact. The alternator drive pulley rotated freely by hand; the drive belt remained stationary and was loose, excessively worn on the pulley contact area. A spare belt with the same part number (Napa Premium XL 25-7365) was found stowed; the STC specified Franklin (P/N 14883) or Goodyear 5L380 belts. Rubber filings were found in the right engine inlet cowling and on the starter ring gear.
The left engine alternator was undamaged and secure; no belt was attached, and none was recovered from the cowling. The alternator drive pulley face had impact damage, bending the edge aft. There was no corresponding cowling damage. The alternator drive shaft rotated freely. Surface corrosion consistent with saltwater immersion was present; dark residue covered the alternator front and drive pulley.
The battery separated from the wreckage but remained in its box; housing damage exposed internal components. Terminal connections were attached. A date '6/15' was written on top. The amp/voltmeter was removed; the amp/volt selector toggle was damaged in the amp position. Alternator isolation switches were found in the ON position. No annunciator lights warned of alternator failure. A multimeter and battery jump-starter unit were found in the wreckage.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies conducted by the State Medical Examiner's Office in Anchorage reported the cause of death as blunt impacts for both the pilot and pilot-rated passenger. Toxicology tests at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory were negative for drugs, carbon monoxide, and volatiles.