History of Flight
On December 13, 2018, at 1044 central standard time, a Piper PA24-250 airplane, registration N6785P, was destroyed during an accident near Valparaiso, Indiana. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Witnesses, including a flight instructor, observed the airplane depart from runway 9. After climbing to a few hundred feet above the runway, the right wing dropped, and the airplane entered a spin to the right. It subsequently impacted the ground.
Surveillance video captured the final portion of the flight. The airplane entered the frame in a right bank, then entered a spin to the right, which continued until it struck the ground in a near-vertical attitude.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted the ground approximately 3,700 ft east of the approach end of runway 9 and 250 ft south of the runway centerline. It came to rest facing east. The forward fuselage and leading edges of both wings sustained crushing. The fuselage skin aft of the cabin displayed wrinkling. The wings and tail surfaces remained attached, and all control surfaces were intact. Examination after recovery confirmed continuity of all control system cables from cockpit controls to their respective surfaces.
Engine Examination
The engine was examined and found to have compression and suction on the forward four cylinders. The aft two cylinders initially lacked compression due to impact damage to the rocker arm pushrods; after removing the rocker arms, compression and suction were restored. Crankshaft, valve train, and accessory gear continuity were confirmed during rotation. Both magnetos were broken from the accessory case. One magneto produced spark on all leads when rotated; the second did not, but was impact damaged. Disassembly of the non-sparking magneto revealed a fractured ignition points pivot block. The carburetor was fractured with the bowl broken open, but disassembly showed no preimpact anomalies. The mechanical fuel pump was also fractured and could not be tested, but disassembly revealed no preimpact anomalies.
The airplane was equipped with four fuel tanks: a rubber bladder-type main tank and a tip-mounted tank in each wing. All four tanks were ruptured, and no fuel remained. No fuel odor was detected at the site, though rain was falling during the initial examination. The fuel selector valve was positioned to the right main tank, with the handle in the corresponding detent. Both electric fuel pumps were removed and, when supplied with electrical power, pumped a liquid.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by Pathologix Private Autopsy Services in Valparaiso, Indiana, determined the pilot's cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma. Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for all tested substances.