History of Flight
On April 20, 2021, at 2052 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T airplane, N4303G, was destroyed during an accident near Brownsville, Tennessee. The student pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
According to the student pilot's flight instructor, they met mid-morning to discuss a solo cross-country flight from Pearland Regional Airport (LVJ), Houston, Texas, to Kyle-Oakley Field Airport (CEY), Murray, Kentucky. The student indicated he needed to visit his recently hospitalized father. The instructor expected the flight to be daytime, with departure no later than 1300 or 1400 due to incoming weather.
Review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the pilot departed LVJ at 1720. The aircraft proceeded southbound briefly, then northeast on a route generally consistent with a direct course to CEY for about 3 hours 30 minutes, at altitudes between 7,000 and 9,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The course showed little deviation until the final two minutes.
Air traffic control communications revealed that in the final minutes, the pilot was receiving visual flight rules (VFR) flight-following services from Memphis Center. About 2 minutes 30 seconds before radar contact lost, the pilot stated he was at 7,500 ft msl, destination CEY, and planned to start a gradual descent. The controller provided the CEY altimeter setting and advised moderate precipitation on the route, with instrument flight rule (IFR) conditions and ceilings around 1,500 ft. The pilot acknowledged and stated he would descend to 2,000-3,000 ft to maintain clearance. The controller advised maintaining VFR and offered alternative airports with better weather. The pilot said he would fly east to avoid weather. About 35 seconds later, a "mayday" call was heard without a call sign; no further communications were received.
A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) performance study of the final ADS-B data showed a descent initiated at 2051:50. In 20 seconds, the airplane slowed from 160 to 120 knots calibrated airspeed (KCAS) and entered a right turn. The descent then rapidly accelerated, airspeed increased, and the turn tightened into a descending spiral. At 2052:29, the airplane exceeded its never-exceed speed (VNE) of 185 KCAS, reaching a maximum recorded speed of about 270 KCAS. The final data point at 2052:46 showed the airplane at 1,450 ft msl, flying south-southwest at 165 KCAS. The wreckage was located about 1,000 ft from the final reported position at 300 ft msl.
The FAA issued a missing aircraft alert; local authorities discovered the wreckage about 0730 the next morning.
Personnel Information
According to FAA records, the pilot held a student pilot certificate issued August 4, 2019, and a third-class medical certificate issued January 14, 2019, which expired January 31, 2021. The flight instructor reported the pilot said he had renewed his medical certificate in February 2021, but the FAA had no record of such examination or BasicMed certification.
The pilot's logbook showed his first flight on December 5, 2018, with entries through October 4, 2020. In November 2019, he completed two cross-country flights between LVJ and CEY: one dual instructional and one solo. A remark for the solo flight noted he diverted to KDYR due to weather. The instructor provided photocopies of a current 90-day solo endorsement and a cross-country route endorsement for the accident flight. He had no knowledge the pilot planned to carry a passenger. The student had not taken the private pilot aeronautical knowledge test.
Aircraft Information
According to FAA registration, the pilot purchased the airplane in July 2019. A mechanic reported performing a routine annual inspection in April 2021; maintenance records were not recovered. The Airplane Flight Manual states VNE as 193 knots indicated airspeed (186 KCAS).
Meteorological Information
A cold front had moved through the area hours earlier, with a low- and mid-level trough above the accident site at the time, bringing clouds and precipitation. Cloud ceilings were indicated at 1,200 ft above ground level (agl) with reduced visibility due to mist, and cloud tops near 13,500 ft msl. The freezing level was near 7,500 ft msl. Strong northerly winds gusting to 24 knots were observed from the surface through 14,000 ft msl.
Weather radar showed the airplane's flight track approached an area of light precipitation in the final minutes. AIRMET advisories Tango and Zulu were valid, warning of moderate turbulence between 8,000 and 16,000 ft msl and moderate icing between the freezing level and 18,000 ft msl.
The terminal aerodrome forecast for McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL), 23 miles east of the accident site, called for wind from 340° at 17 knots gusting to 28 knots, visibility greater than 6 miles, moderate rain showers, broken ceiling at 2,500 ft agl, and overcast at 8,000 ft agl.
CEY METARs at 2115 reported marginal VFR with 3 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds at 900 ft, broken ceiling at 1,300 ft, and overcast at 5,500 ft agl. At 2135, IFR conditions with 4 miles visibility, broken clouds at 700 ft and 1,300 ft, and overcast at 3,500 ft agl. Subsequent hours reported IFR. At 2053, MKL reported 10 miles visibility, scattered clouds at 4,700 ft, broken at 8,000 ft, and overcast at 9,500 ft agl.
There was no record of the pilot filing a flight plan or requesting a weather briefing. Day VFR conditions prevailed throughout the afternoon and early evening at nearby airports.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was partially submerged in a creek and along a muddy ravine in a forest. All major components were within a 100-ft debris path, heavily fragmented. No postimpact fire occurred. Flight control cable continuity could not be established due to fragmentation; observed cables displayed overload separation features.
The cockpit and instrument panel were heavily fragmented. The standby attitude indicator was found; its gyro remained intact with rotational scoring. No other flight instruments were readable. The engine displayed significant impact damage but no preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The propeller flange and hub separated; the propeller showed partial S-bending, leading edge gouges, and chordwise scratches.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsy by the West Tennessee Regional Forensic Center determined the cause of death as multiple blunt force traumatic injuries, manner of death accident. No significant natural disease was identified. Toxicology testing by the FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified ethanol, methanol, alprazolam, bupropion, buspirone, dihydrocodeine, metoprolol, atorvastatin, and amlodipine in kidney and muscle tissue. No blood was available. Ethanol and methanol can be produced postmortem. Alprazolam is a sedating benzodiazepine; bupropion is an antidepressant with potential impairing effects; buspirone is a sedating anti-anxiety medication; dihydrocodeine is an opioid analgesic; metoprolol, amlodipine, and atorvastatin are not generally impairing.
Additional Information
Review of the pilot's ForeFlight account showed several routes entered on the accident day, initially including an intermediate stop at LBX (Texas Gulf Coast Regional Airport). At 1703, the route LVJ-LBX-CEY at 8,000 ft was entered. After departure, routes were simplified to LVJ-CEY at 8,000 ft, consistent with the flight track.
A mechanic at the departure airport recalled a discussion with the pilot around 1100, who planned departure about 1300, but the pilot taxied from his hangar closer to 1700 with one passenger onboard. The instructor believed the pilot had full fuel tanks; a receipt showed 9.9 gallons purchased at 1106.
The instructor asked the pilot three times if he needed accompaniment; the pilot declined. A family member confirmed the purpose was to visit the hospitalized father, and the passenger needed to arrive that day. The pilot planned to depart by 1400 but had iPad connectivity issues at the cellular carrier until about 1645. The passenger's sister insisted on arriving by Tuesday; the pilot expressed he could take a detour where weather was less adverse.