Accident Overview
On November 12, 2017, at 1410 central standard time, a Piper PA-32-260, N3371W, was destroyed during an in-flight breakup and collision with terrain while maneuvering near Fountain Run, Kentucky. The private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed Everett-Stewart Regional Airport (UCY), Union City, Tennessee, at 1303, and was destined for Lake Cumberland Regional Airport (SME), Somerset, Kentucky.
Pilot and Flight History
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land and did not possess an instrument rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on October 14, 2014. He had logged 251 total hours of flight experience, of which 246 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. The pilot had logged 5.9 total hours of simulated (hood) instrument flight experience. Radar and voice information revealed that the pilot contacted the Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) and was receiving visual flight rules (VFR) flight following services. The airplane was in cruise flight eastbound about 5,500 ft mean sea level (msl) for about 30 minutes before the radar track depicted a slight turn to a northeasterly heading. At 1357:44, the pilot informed the controller that he was going to climb the airplane to maintain VFR flight. Beginning at 1358, radar indicated a climb to about 6,600 ft followed by a series of left and right turns. About 1404, a nearly 180° left turn was immediately followed by a 180° right turn until the airplane resumed an approximate northeast heading, with altitude varying between 6,800 and 7,200 ft. At 1406:20, the pilot stated, "we hit some uh IMC. Is there any vectoring to an altitude here with some uh more visibility?" The controller advised the pilot to standby and later directed him to "maintain VFR," which the pilot acknowledged. At 1407:51, the controller shared a pilot report of cloud tops "around eight thousand or so." The pilot replied he would climb to 8,000 ft. Over the next 30 seconds, radar depicted shallow left and right turns with altitudes between 7,000 and 7,300 ft. Beginning at 1408:41, the airplane entered a shallow right turn at 7,299 ft and 144 knots followed by a descending right turn that increased in rates of bank and descent. At 1408:58, at 5,675 ft, the pilot transmitted, "We're going down." The final radar target was over the accident site at 1409:05 at 2,838 ft and 125 knots.
Witness Accounts
One witness near the accident site described seeing the airplane "in a nosedive" before losing sight of it behind trees. Another witness, deer hunting from a tree stand, heard the engine sound "cutting in and out." He watched the airplane appear out of the clouds and stated that when it came into view, "it went into a spin and there was a loud pop and then [the airplane] just blew apart." He reported that the airplane came out of the clouds about 300 to 400 ft above the ground, and that the weather at the time was "solid fog."
Meteorological Conditions
The 1415 weather observation at Glasgow Municipal Airport (GLW), 14 miles north of the accident site, included a broken ceiling at 500 ft above ground level (agl), an overcast ceiling at 1,300 ft agl, and 10 miles visibility. The 1353 observation at Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport (BWG) included a broken ceiling at 1,200 ft agl, an overcast ceiling at 1,300 ft agl, and 9 miles visibility. The 1335 observation at UCY included an overcast ceiling at 3,500 ft agl and 10 miles visibility. Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-16 imagery at 1407 revealed cloudy conditions over the accident site region, with infrared cloud-top temperatures corresponding to heights about 8,500 ft and 15,000 ft. At 1238, an AIRMET SIERRA for IFR conditions was issued for the area, advising ceilings below 1,000 ft, visibility below 3 statute miles, and precipitation and mist. The ceiling at the destination airport at the estimated time of arrival was 6,000 ft overcast. The pilot did not file a flight plan, and there was no record of him having obtained a weather briefing from Leidos Flight Services, Direct User Access Terminal Service, or Foreflight before departure. An interview with police indicated the pilot's spouse stated that her husband "always" checked weather before flight and that the Foreflight application was "constantly" streaming to his iPad while flying.
Aircraft and Wreckage
The airplane was manufactured in 1965 and had accrued 2,776.97 total aircraft hours. The most recent annual inspection was completed on October 10, 2017, at 2,771.94 total aircraft hours. Wreckage examination at the accident site revealed an odor of fuel, and the majority of the airplane was accounted for except the left aileron balance weight, left tip tank, stabilator trim tab, and about 6 ft of the right wing and right aileron. Parts associated with the rudder and right wing were located about 0.75 mile northeast of the main wreckage. No evidence of an in-flight fire was found. The wreckage path was oriented about 240° magnetic, and the main wreckage path was about 100 ft long. Initial impact was with treetops about 60 ft high, and the main wreckage came to rest wedged between tree trunks. Control continuity to the wings, rudder, and elevator was confirmed. Engine crankshaft rotation was verified, compression was confirmed on all cylinders, and magnetos produced spark. The vacuum pump was intact. The carburetor and fuel pump were destroyed by impact. Parts missing from the initial examination were located by hunters months later and recovered on October 30, 2018.
Medical and Toxicology
The Office of The Chief Medical Examiner, Louisville, Kentucky, performed the autopsy on the pilot, listing the cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences laboratory was negative for the presence of drugs or alcohol.