On June 17, 2023, a PIPER PA-30 (registration N7628Y) was involved in an aviation accident near Ebensburg, PA. 2 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s spatial disorientation and subsequent loss of airplane control, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A Piper PA-30, N7628Y, was destroyed on June 17, 2023, near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania, killing the pilot and passenger. The aircraft departed for an IFR flight and entered a left turn before impact.
Accident Overview and Flight History On June 17, 2023, at approximately 0506 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, registration N7628Y, was destroyed in an accident near Ebensburg, Pennsylvania. The pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The aircraft was operating as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. ADS-B data and airport surveillance video indicated that the pilot taxied from the ramp at Ebensburg Airport (9G8) at 0500 for an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Ocean City Municipal Airport (OXB) in Ocean City, Maryland. The aircraft departed runway 25 at approximately 0504. ADS-B data showed the aircraft entered a left-hand turn after takeoff and climbed to an altitude of about 3,600 feet mean sea level (msl). The field elevation at 9G8 was approximately 2,099 feet. The aircraft continued in a left turn for about 360 degrees until the last ADS-B target was observed at 3,000 feet msl on a south-southeasterly heading. No eyewitnesses to the accident were known. A landowner adjacent to the accident site reported fog at first light on the morning of the accident. ## Personnel and Meteorological Information The pilot's personal logbook was recovered after the accident. It recorded thirteen instrument approaches in the six months prior to the accident, including 2.0 hours of simulated instrument time on April 12, 2023, during his most recent flight review. His last actual instrument time was logged on October 1, 2022, totaling 1.8 hours. Meteorological data indicated two low-pressure systems off the New Jersey Atlantic coast associated with an occluded frontal system. Satellite data showed cloud tops near 6,000 feet, with low- and very low-level water clouds above the accident site moving southward. Ebensburg Airport (9G8) had no weather reporting capability or control tower. The nearest airport with weather reporting was John Murtha Johnstown/Cambria County Airport (JST), located 9 miles south of 9G8. At 0454, JST reported wind from 300 degrees at 9 knots, visibility of 1 1/2 miles, mist, an overcast ceiling at 200 feet above ground level, a temperature of 12°C, a dew point of 12°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.85 inches of mercury. Civil twilight began at approximately 0510, and sunrise occurred at approximately 0542. The pilot did not request weather information from Leidos Flight Service. He filed an IFR flight plan around 0452 using a ForeFlight account, but no weather imagery was viewed in the application, and it is unknown what weather briefing information was provided. ## Wreckage and Impact Information The accident site was on private property in a heavily wooded area about 2 miles south of 9G8. The wreckage debris field measured approximately 375 feet in length and 120 feet in width, oriented on a heading of 120 degrees. A measured swath cut through the trees was consistent with a 55-degree left bank and a 30-degree descent angle at impact. The wreckage was highly fragmented, with several areas of postaccident fire. All structural components were located within the debris field. The fuselage was highly fragmented, with the cockpit section found about 200 feet southeast of the initial impact with trees. The nose landing gear was found within this section. Aileron, rudder, and stabilator cables remained attached to their respective cabin controls and could be traced to separations consistent with overstress signatures. One rotational gyro was separated and broken open, with scoring signatures inside the case where the rotor was formerly present. The throttle and propeller control levers were found in the fully forward positions, though significant stretching and deformation were noted in this area. The mixture levers appeared to be near the lean positions. The empennage was fragmented, with the vertical stabilizer found near the impact crater displaying crushing and thermal damage. The rudder was impact-separated from the stabilizer and broken into two pieces, each found roughly midway through the wreckage path. The stabilator was broken into two sections, also found roughly midway through the wreckage path. The left wing was fragmented, with the inboard section, engine nacelle, and a flap noted along the right side of the wreckage path. The main landing gear upper strut remained attached to the wing and was observed within the landing gear well. Aileron control cables were observed within the inboard wing section, terminating in cable separations indicative of overstress. The outboard portion of the left wing came to rest along the left side of the wreckage path, with the left aileron remaining attached. The aileron control bellcrank remained within the outboard wing section, with the control cable attached and terminating in a cable separation indicative of overstress, while the balance cable was impact-separated. The right wing was fragmented, with the inboard section coming to rest adjacent to the forward cabin and instrument panel. The right flap remained attached to the inboard wing section. The right outboard wing section was fragmented and distributed along the wreckage path, with the main landing gear remaining attached to the wing and observed within the landing gear well. The aileron was impact-separated and found midway down the wreckage path, displaying impact deformation. The right aileron bellcrank and adjacent structure were found about 10 feet up a tree near the forward cabin. About 10 feet of aileron cables remained attached, each terminating in cable separations indicative of overload, and the control stops appeared undamaged. The left engine came to rest inverted about 6 feet from the initial impact crater and was heavily fragmented. The camshaft was exposed and broken near the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders, and the crankshaft was broken near the same area. Most of the crankcase shattered forward of the Nos. 1 and 2 cylinders. Cylinder No. 1 was liberated from the engine and found about 10 feet before the engine in the wreckage's path of travel, with the No. 2 cylinder head found next to it. The barrel of cylinder No. 2 was embedded with a large section of splintered wood. The fuel injector remained with the engine firewall and was partially damaged during the impact sequence. The fuel inlet screen was liberated from the unit and found in the soil beneath the engine, while the diaphragms of the regulators remained intact and undamaged. The left and right magnetos were impact-damaged, and neither unit could be tested for spark. All spark plugs and the ignition harness were destroyed during the impact sequence. The vacuum pump remained attached to the accessory housing but was damaged by thermal forces. The unit was removed, and the shear shaft was sheared and melted. The right engine came to rest against a tree almost in a vertical position, with the oil sump separated from the engine case and the magnetos resting beside the engine. The fuel injector was separated from the engine sump but remained with the engine via control cables. The fuel inlet screen was removed for further examination and was unobstructed. The fuel regulator was disassembled, and a liquid consistent with aviation fuel was present. The fluid was tested with a water-finding paste, and no water was present. The air side of the regulator was absent of fuel. The flow divider remained secured to the top of the engine and was mostly undamaged, with the lines to the divider secured. The unit was opened for further analysis, and fuel was found in the divider. Water-finding paste was used, and no water was present. The nozzles remained in their respective cylinder heads and were unobstructed. The diaphragm fuel pump remained secured to the accessory housing and had minor impact damage to the pump housing. The unit was removed and did pump when actuated by hand. The unit was disassembled, and the diaphragms were undamaged. Both magnetos were separated from the accessory housing and were impact-damaged. Both units produced spark at all leads when rotated. The spark plugs that were examined displayed coloration consistent with normal engine operation when compared to the Champion AV-27 Check-A-Plug chart. The ignition harness was destroyed by impact forces. The vacuum pump remained attached to the accessory housing. The unit was removed and opened for further analysis, and the carbon veins were destroyed. The oil filter was liberated from the accessory housing, and the filter housing had minor crush damage. The element was free of debris. The intake pushrod for the No. 2 cylinder was missing, and damage to the exhaust pushrod of the No. 1 cylinder was visible. The rocker box covers were removed to facilitate the examination. The engine's crankshaft was rotated manually using the vacuum pump drive. Compression and suction were confirmed on cylinder Nos. 2, 3, and 4. Valve movement was observed on all cylinders, except for the No. 2 intake valve. The No. 1 cylinder did not hold compression as a result of damage from the impact forces cracking the cylinder head. The left propeller was impact-separated from the engine, and both propeller blades displayed chordwise scratching and deformation opposite the direction of rotation. The right propeller was impact-separated from the engine, with one propeller blade impact-separated and not located within the wreckage. The remaining propeller blade displayed leading edge damage and chordwise scratching. Examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers did not reveal evidence of a mechanical malfunction or anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. ## Additional Information and Medical Findings The FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute's publication, 'Introduction to Aviation Physiology,' defines spatial disorientation as a 'loss of proper bearings; state of mental confusion as to position, location, or movement relative to the position of the earth.' Factors contributing to spatial disorientation include changes in acceleration, flight in IFR conditions, frequent transfer between visual flight rules and IFR conditions, and unperceived changes in aircraft attitude. The FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-3B) describes hazards associated with flying when the ground or horizon are obscured, noting that the vestibular sense can confuse the pilot because the sensory areas of the inner ear cannot detect slight changes in airplane attitude or accurately sense attitude changes that occur at a uniform rate over a period of time. False sensations are often generated, leading the pilot to believe the attitude of the airplane has changed when, in fact, it has not, resulting in spatial disorientation. ForensicDx performed the pilot's autopsy, as authorized by the Cambria County, Pennsylvania Coroner's Office. According to the pilot's autopsy report, his cause of death was multiple impact injuries. Postmortem toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences laboratory detected ethanol at 0.029 g/hg in muscle tissue. Ethanol was not detected in muscle tissue by NMS Labs, with a reporting threshold of 0.1 g/hg.