History of Flight
On July 3, 2022, at 2244 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N1403X, was destroyed when it impacted terrain near Mt. Pleasant, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured, and the pilot-rated passenger was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B) data indicated the flight departed from Memorial Field Airport (HOT) in Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 2145, and proceeded direct to Mt. Pleasant Regional Airport (OSA) in Texas. After climbing to a cruise altitude of about 8,500 feet, the pilot began a descent approximately 30 miles from the destination. About 4 miles from OSA, the pilot entered the airport traffic pattern on a left base leg for runway 17. The airplane was established on final approach at 700 ft mean sea level (recorded geometric altitude) about 1.5 miles from the threshold. From that point until the last ADS-B data point, the airplane descended consistently without major disturbances. The final data point was recorded at 2244:45 when the airplane was about 0.42 miles from the runway threshold.
A witness located immediately north of the airport along the extended runway centerline reported hearing the airplane overhead. Approximately one second later, he heard the airplane impact trees on the opposite side of the road. The witness described the engine sound as “strong” and at “maximum power,” emphasizing that it seemed to be at full throttle. He also noted that the weather that night was “clear and nice.”
Personnel Information
The pilot had logged 9.3 hours of night flight time in the 30 days before the accident. His most recent night flight occurred about three weeks before the accident flight, during which he completed three night landings.
Meteorological Information
On the day of the accident, sunset occurred at 2033 and civil twilight ended at 2101. The moon was in a waxing crescent phase with 19% of the visible disk illuminated. Moon transit was at 1707, and the moon set at 2353.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck trees and terrain less than half a mile from the runway 17 threshold. The right wing separated, with an outboard 4-foot section suspended in a tree about 50 ft above ground level. The wing tip rested on the ground near the tree, and tree branches with fresh breaks were present. The remaining inboard section of the right wing was separated at the root and found along the debris path.
A ground impact path began about 160 ft from the initial tree strike and extended to the main wreckage, which was located about 320 ft from the initial tree strike. The main wreckage comprised the fuselage, empennage, left wing, engine, and propeller. The fuselage was inverted and resting on the left wing, which had separated at the root. The main wreckage elevation was approximately 385 ft msl.
An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. The altimeter setting was 29.98 in Hg when observed during the airframe examination.
Tests and Research
A review of position data showed that, while on final approach, the airplane’s airspeed varied from about 74 to 78 knots, and the descent rate ranged between 280 and 700 fpm. According to the pilot’s operating manual, the aerodynamic stall speed was 62 knots with wing flaps retracted and 55 knots with flaps fully extended.