Accident Narrative
On November 24, 2020, about 1530 eastern daylight time, a Piper Cherokee PA-32-260, registration N5566J, was substantially damaged when it collided with a building during a descending turn near Greenville Donaldson Field (GYH), Greenville, South Carolina. The private pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot, he flew to GYH to conduct traffic pattern work. The airplane was cleared for a left closed traffic pattern and landed on runway 05. After the second landing, the tower controller instructed him to fly a right traffic pattern due to incoming traffic from the west. The controller cleared the pilot to extend the downwind leg to avoid the inbound traffic on final approach. The pilot acknowledged the instructions and proceeded.
During the extended downwind leg, the engine began to lose power. The pilot attempted to restore full power and turned directly toward the airport while notifying the tower controller of the emergency. He verified the fuel selector, turned the fuel pump on, cycled the magnetos, verified the mixture was full rich, pulled carburetor heat, and checked the gauges. According to the pilot, the engine never seemed to quit running but would not produce power. The airplane subsequently collided with a building during a descending turn, resulting in separation of the left wing and substantial damage to the fuselage.
Weather Conditions
Weather conditions at GYH at the time included calm winds, visibility 10 statute miles, and clear skies. The temperature was 53°F, the dew point was 30°F, and the altimeter setting was 30.31 inches of mercury. A review of the icing probability chart in Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin CE-09-35 indicated that the atmospheric conditions were "conducive to serious icing at glide power."
Postaccident Examination
Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that external accessories were still attached. The ignition system was intact, and all spark plug leads were connected to the magnetos and spark plugs. The spark plugs were removed with no anomalies noted. Fuel lines were intact but impact damaged, with no fuel observed in the breached system. The carburetor bowl was removed, showing no debris and no anomalies with the carburetor assembly. The propeller was rotated by hand, and compression was observed on all cylinders. Valvetrain movement was noted, but the No. 1 and No. 2 pushrods and tubes were impact damaged. The propeller exhibited chordwise bending and scoring. All fuel system and oil lines were impact damaged. The engine-driven fuel pump, when removed and hand-operated, supplied and pumped fuel from a container. The electrical fuel pump could not be tested due to extensive damage.