History of Flight
On December 12, 2020, about 1249 central standard time, a Beech V35A, N5470U, was destroyed when it impacted an open field near Attalla, Alabama. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The flight departed Kyle-Oakley Field Airport (CEY), Murray, Kentucky, at about 1131 under visual flight rules. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot contacted Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center to obtain an instrument flight rules clearance. The flight was radar identified and cleared to climb to 9,000 ft mean sea level (msl). It remained on a southerly heading until about 1133, then turned left to a southeasterly heading. The flight climbed to about 9,000 ft msl and transferred through multiple air traffic control facilities.
At 1236:35, the pilot established contact with Birmingham Air Traffic Control Tower and received the current altimeter setting. The flight remained on the southeasterly heading and altitude until 1248:09, when the airplane began a right descending turn that was not directed by the controller or announced by the pilot. At 1248:41, the controller broadcast the call sign, and the pilot replied but the response was unintelligible. The airplane completed a 360° right turn, then continued descending with a decreasing turn radius. Radar contact was lost, and the last ADS-B target at 1248:54 recorded the airplane at about 3,600 ft msl. The airplane impacted an open field about 1,260 ft northeast of that location. In the minute before the turn, the airplane averaged a groundspeed of about 173 mph.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a statement of demonstrated ability for a lower left leg amputation below the knee following a 2004 motorcycle accident. He reported 13,299 hours total time and 33 hours in the last 6 months as of his last second-class medical examination on December 4, 2018. A review of his pilot logbook from August 17, 2017, to August 1, 2020, showed about 109 hours, all in the accident airplane. His last flight review and instrument proficiency check (IPC) were completed on December 7, 2019. He did not log any instrument approaches, holding, or navigating after the IPC. Individuals who interacted with him before departure reported nothing abnormal.
Aircraft Information
The pilot owned the airplane since September 2010. It was equipped with a Garmin G5 and an Apple iPad; both were retained but no data could be obtained. Before departure, 3.1 gallons of 100LL were added to the left fuel tank (filling it), and the right tank was full. No fuel issues were reported from other aircraft using the same source. Maintenance at CEY included servicing the nose and main landing gear and replacing a Dzus fastener for the engine cowling.
Meteorological Information
The pilot did not request a flight service weather briefing but received weather information from ForeFlight at 1049. The Rawinsonde Observation Program indicated cloud cover between 1,500 and 11,000 ft msl and possible light to moderate clear air turbulence. At about 9,000 ft msl near the accident time, winds were from 243° at 50 knots. Cloud-top heights were estimated at 13,000 ft msl. Weather radar showed reflectivity values between 5 and 15 dBZ near the accident site, with precipitation expanding. No convective or non-convective SIGMET advisories were valid for the accident site at the time.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was scattered in an open field along a 535-ft path at about 100° true. The airplane was heavily fragmented; the largest pieces included sections of wings and empennage. No evidence of in-flight or postcrash fire was observed. Flaps and ailerons were accounted for. Both stabilizers were separated from the empennage. Flight control cables exhibited tension overload fractures. Examination of the elevator control cables revealed that the turnbuckle eye of the "up" elevator cable had fatigue on about 15% of its cross section, with the remainder overstress. Corrosion was noted. The right aileron primary control cable terminal end also exhibited overstress fracture. No preimpact failure or malfunction was found in other flight controls, engine, or propeller.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy was not performed. Toxicology testing detected no ethanol in muscle but an unquantified amount of lamotrigine. Medical records from a December 2019 visit indicated a history of prostate cancer, macular degeneration, and phantom limb pain from amputation. Usual medications included tamsulosin and lamotrigine.
Tests and Research
Review of 53 years of airframe maintenance records showed no entry indicating replacement of the up elevator control cable or turnbuckle eye. The most recent annual inspection on May 1, 2020, noted inspection of flight controls. The airplane's total time was 4,804.8 hours. The shop manual specified checking flight control cables but did not include a focused inspection of the turnbuckle eye for wear or cracks. In 2012 and 2019, safety communiques were issued emphasizing inspection of flight control cables and terminal fittings. No FAA Service Difficulty Reports were found for the specific turnbuckle eye or elevator cable.