Accident Overview
On June 25, 2023, at 1232 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-30, N7240Y, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Claxton, Georgia. The pilot, flight instructor, and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight, operated by a flight school.
Flight Purpose and Planning
According to the flight school’s assistant chief flight instructor, the purpose of the flight was for the flight instructor to prepare the pilot (who was the chief pilot and owner of a flight school) for a 14 CFR Part 141 proficiency check scheduled for the following day. The pilot-rated passenger owned the airplane and was onboard to observe and familiarize himself. Planned activities included standard multiengine maneuvers, such as a single-engine minimum control speed (Vmc) demonstration and an instrument approach with a simulated loss of engine power.
The assistant chief flight instructor stated that fuel payment cards did not work with new fuel pumps at Swinton Smith Field - Reidsville Municipal Airport (RVJ), so the pilot planned to obtain fuel at Claxton - Evans County Airport (CWV).
Flight Sequence
According to ADS-B data, the airplane departed RVJ about 1140 and landed at CWV at 1151. The airport manager at CWV reported that while the flight crew was refueling, the fuel pump motor failed, dispensing only about 3/4 of a gallon. ADS-B data showed the airplane departed CWV about 1231. Five ADS-B targets were recorded: first at 1231:21 at 100 ft agl; then 100 ft, 125 ft, 25 ft, and finally 125 ft agl at 1231:29.
Accident Site and Wreckage
The accident site was in a wooded area about 2,100 ft from the departure end of runway 10 and about 680 ft from the final ADS-B target. The bearing between these points was about 30° right of the runway heading. The elevation at the site was about 135 ft mean sea level.
Examination revealed the airplane impacted the ground in a nose-down, left-wing-low attitude. The left wingtip was at the initial ground impact point, about 30 ft from the main wreckage. No evidence of fire or tree impact was found. The fuselage came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of approximately 013°. Significant compression damage was observed on the nose, cockpit floor, and top of the fuselage above the baggage door. The left side of the aft fuselage was buckled, but the empennage had little damage. Both engine nacelles sustained compression damage on top surfaces and were bent upward. The left wing leading edge was compressed and torn, with the wingtip separated. The right wing was bent upward outboard of the flap/aileron juncture, with buckling on the top surface. The right wingtip was lodged against a pine tree.
Flight Controls and Systems
Wing flaps were retracted. Flight control continuity was established for ailerons, stabilator, and rudder. The rudder trim actuator had 5 threads exposed, corresponding to a nose-right setting (0 threads full nose right, 7-8 neutral). The stabilator trim actuator measured 0.35 inches, indicating slight nose-down setting.
The tachometer displayed about 3,100 rpm for the left engine and 890 rpm for the right engine. The exhaust gas temperature gauge indicated about 200° for the left engine, and off-scale-low for the right. Fuel quantity indicators showed below empty for right-wing tanks and slightly below 1/4 full for left-wing tanks. Both throttle levers were approximately full throttle, propeller levers full forward, and mixture levers just lean of full rich. The landing gear handle was neutral, and damage to all three landing gear was consistent with them being extended at impact.
The left fuel selector was selected to MAIN and in the detent. The right fuel selector was between AUX and OFF, not in a detent. About 4.5 inches of fuel remained in the right auxiliary tank. No fuel was present in the right main tank. No fuel was visible in left main or left aux tanks, but when the wreckage was moved, a small amount of fuel flowed from the front of the wing. Both fuel selector valves were disassembled: fuel was present in the left valve, but not in the right valve. The screens were clean except for a small amount of debris on the right screen. Fuel in the left valve appeared clear and consistent with aviation gasoline. All main and auxiliary tank in-line finger screens were clear.
Engines Examination
Left engine: several ounces of fuel in the engine-driven fuel pump; fuel in the fuel distribution manifold and fuel servo; clean screen; thumb compression on all cylinders; magnetos produced spark; oil present; drivetrain continuity established. No preimpact failures or mechanical anomalies found.
Right engine: only a few drops of fuel in the engine-driven fuel pump; no fuel in the fuel distribution manifold; about 1 tablespoon in the fuel servo; clean screen; thumb compression on all cylinders; magnetos produced spark; oil present; drivetrain continuity established. No preimpact failures or mechanical anomalies found.
Left propeller blades showed blade polishing and S-bending. Right propeller blades did not display signatures consistent with rotation under power at impact. Both propeller blades had a relatively flat pitch, not consistent with being feathered.
Fuel System Information
The airplane had four fuel tanks: main and auxiliary in each wing. Main tanks total capacity 30 gallons (27 usable). Auxiliary tanks capacity 15 gallons (all usable). The Owner’s Handbook stated auxiliary tanks were only for level flight and that fuel should be used from main tanks during takeoff, landing, climb, and descent. It also stated that takeoffs should not be made with main tanks less than one-quarter full.
Regarding loss of engine power during climb after takeoff, the manual instructed: maintain directional control, establish best single-engine rate of climb airspeed (105 mph at sea level), check mixture/propeller/throttle full forward, landing gear and flaps up, identify inoperative engine, feather propeller, trim directionally, climb straight ahead to traffic pattern altitude, and return to airport. Propellers could be feathered above 1,000 rpm; below that, stop pins prevented feathering. The handbook warned that single-engine flight with an unfeathered propeller decreases performance.
Pilot and Instructor Information
The pilot and flight instructor each held commercial pilot certificates with multi-engine land ratings and flight instructor certificates with multi-engine ratings. The pilot reported 33,000 total flight hours on his most recent medical application (October 18, 2022). The flight instructor reported 9,167 total hours on his most recent medical application (December 2, 2022).
Toxicology Results
The Division of Forensic Sciences, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, performed autopsies. The pilot’s cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries; manner was accident. FAA toxicology detected alprazolam at 24 ng/mL in cavity blood and 143 ng/mL in urine; alpha-hydroxyalprazolam at 561 ng/mL in urine; methadone at 1711 ng/mL in cavity blood and 1520 ng/mL in urine; methadone metabolite (EDDP) at 116 ng/mL in cavity blood and 3057 ng/mL in urine.
Alprazolam (Xanax) is a potent benzodiazepine, Schedule IV controlled substance, with CNS depression warning. Methadone is a long-acting opioid, Schedule II, with warnings about impairing hazardous activities; concurrent use with benzodiazepines increases CNS depression risk.
The flight instructor’s cause of death was multiple blunt impact injuries; manner was accident. He had CACI high blood pressure but did not disclose other conditions at his last exam. FAA toxicology detected warfarin in cavity blood and urine. Warfarin is a blood thinner; not typically impairing, but underlying conditions might be.