History of Flight
On May 2, 2018, about 1410 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300, N4153R, was destroyed when it impacted terrain after takeoff from Greenwood Lake Airport (4N1), West Milford, New Jersey. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to IHAF Flying Mission LLC and operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight destined for Orange County Airport (MGJ), Montgomery, New York.
A flight instructor at the airport, a friend of the pilot, reported speaking with the pilot just before the accident. The pilot indicated he was experiencing engine problems, suspecting either magnetos or spark plugs. He planned to taxi to the runway end, perform an engine run-up, and if successful, take a short flight to MGJ and return.
A witness located 1 mile north of the airport heard the airplane take off, then heard the engine sputter and a loss of power, followed by the sound of a crash. The witness called 911.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and a Federal Aviation Administration third-class medical certificate issued April 27, 2016. At the time of the medical examination, he reported 625 total hours of flight experience. The pilot's logbook was consumed by fire.
Aircraft Information
The six-seat, low-wing, tricycle-gear airplane was manufactured in 1968, powered by a Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 300-horsepower engine with a two-bladed Hartzell propeller. Family members stated that maintenance logbooks were kept in the luggage compartment, which was consumed by fire. A local mechanic performed the most recent annual inspection in late June 2017 and noted that the pilot often performed maintenance on his own airplane.
Meteorological Information
Weather recorded at Sussex Airport (FWN), 13 nautical miles northwest, at 1353 included wind from 220° at 10 knots gusting to 21 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 30°C, dew point 6°C, and altimeter setting 30.02 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in a wooded area about 1,100 ft south of the departure end of runway 24, consumed by fire. Tree branches were broken descending at about a 12° angle over 50 ft on a magnetic heading of 110° to the main wreckage, which came to rest upright. The instrument panel was consumed. Both wings separated and lay about 30 ft behind the fuselage with minor fire damage. Fuel in both wing tanks was consistent with 100LL aviation fuel. All major components were accounted for. Control cable continuity was confirmed through overload separations.
The engine remained attached. The right rear accessories were consumed by fire. The upper right corner of the firewall had a soot-free burn area. Fire sleeving, engine baffling, and oil cooler showed thermal damage. The upper cowling was intact with heavy thermal damage on the aft right side; the lower cowl was heavily sooted with charred and missing resin. Thermal damage was consistent with an in-flight fire.
Both propeller blades were bent aft at mid-blade. Thumb compression was established on all cylinders; boroscope examination of pistons and valves revealed no anomalies.
During engine examination, the inlet fuel line from the fuel pump to the fuel servo was found loose, movable over 1/8 inch inside the B-nut. The hose manufacturer stated that based on the part number, the hose was not approved for aircraft use and intended for industrial use only; it looked identical to an approved hose.
The fuel servo and hose were sent to Avstar Fuel Systems for operational testing. The servo met flow requirements. When the B-nut was loosened to simulate the loose line, fuel sprayed immediately. The fuel pump was flow-tested with no anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Office of the Chief State Medical Examiner, Newark, New Jersey, listed the cause of death as blunt trauma. Toxicology testing detected acetaminophen, pseudoephedrine, and naproxen in urine; pseudoephedrine was also in blood. These drugs are not considered impairing in usual doses.