History of Flight
On December 6, 2017, at 1454 central standard time, a Raytheon Aircraft Company B36TC airplane (N679EA) was destroyed when it impacted a gas station pump canopy and parking lot while on visual approach to Spirit of St. Louis Airport (SUS) in Chesterfield, Missouri. The private pilot, operating under 14 CFR Part 91 on an IFR flight plan, sustained fatal injuries. The flight departed Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT) at 0926 CST and was destined for SUS. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed.
Earlier that morning, the airplane had been "topped off" with 72 gallons of fuel and the oxygen system serviced. The fuel level was about 1 to 1.5 inches below the fuel "flappers" in each wing tank. The pilot contacted Albuquerque Air Route Traffic Control Center at 1220 and received IFR clearance, climbing to FL 230. At 1244, the pilot requested descent to FL 210 to control engine temperatures. Subsequent descents brought the airplane to 3,000 ft as it neared SUS.
At 1450, the pilot was cleared for a left traffic visual approach to runway 26L. Radar showed a constant left turn for about 3 minutes. At 1454:00, about 260 ft above ground level, the pilot reported losing power. The controller cleared him to land, but the pilot responded he might not make the airport. The airplane turned right toward a road and struck a gas station canopy about 1 mile from the runway. Witnesses observed the airplane at low altitude with wings rocking and no engine noise; a post-impact fire ensued.
Personnel Information
The pilot's logbook was not located. On his most recent FAA medical application (August 30, 2016), he reported 4,620 total flight hours and 50 hours in the previous 6 months. According to family, he had flown the DVT–SUS route several times since purchasing the airplane in February 2017.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was registered to Wings West, LLC, on February 7, 2017. The fuel system consisted of two interconnected bladder-type fuel cells in each wing leading edge, each holding 54 gallons total (51 usable). Each wing had a flush filler cap with an anti-siphon valve; the tank was full when fuel reached the spring-loaded door. Fuel quantity sight gauges and float-operated sensors provided cockpit indications. The fuel selector valve was forward and left of the pilot seat. The Pilot Operating Handbook (POH) stated takeoffs and landings must be made using the tank nearest full, and it was the pilot's responsibility to ensure fuel quantity indicators were functioning and ample fuel was available.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest upright on a 330° heading at the edge of the parking lot and a grass ditch. A post-impact fire consumed the fuselage and inboard wing sections. The left wing was fragmented with thermal damage; the left aileron separated and flap bent. The right wing remained partially attached with thermal damage near the root; fuel caps were intact and seated, with no fuel noted in the right tank. Residual fuel leaked near the inboard wing root during recovery. The empennage remained attached, with thermal damage near the aft cabin bulkhead.
The cockpit and instrument panel were destroyed by fire. The throttle lever was aft, while mixture and propeller controls were full forward. Flight control continuity was established. Landing gear was extended; wing flaps retracted. The fuel selector was in the left tank position and moved freely. The engine remained attached but bent downward; fuel lines secured and residual fuel present in the fuel manifold valve. The three-blade propeller had one straight blade, one with a bent tip, and one twisted.
On February 14–15, 2018, the engine was examined and test-run. Visual examination showed minor thermal damage. The turbocharger turbine wheel was seized due to impact damage; it was replaced with a slave unit. During a 35-minute test, the engine started without hesitation, accelerated smoothly, and ran continuously with no anomalies. No pre-impact anomalies were found.
Additional Information
Radar and winds aloft data estimated an average cruise airspeed of about 150 knots. Total flight time was 5 hours 26 minutes over 1,103 nautical miles. Engine monitor data was corrupted and could not be validated. Estimated fuel consumption ranged from 66 to 98 gallons. The POH listed emergency exits including openable cabin windows, the cabin door, and utility doors.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the St. Louis County Medical Examiner listed thermal injury and carbon monoxide smoke inhalation as the cause of death. Toxicological testing revealed 18% carboxyhemoglobin, 3.646 µg/mL cyanide, and unspecified levels of propranolol in blood and urine. The elevated carboxyhemoglobin and cyanide were consistent with combustion products and the reported cause of death. The pilot had reported propranolol use on his medical application; it does not cause impairment. After the accident, the pilot was located in the forward/cockpit seats.