What happened
On October 31, 2023, a Piper PA-3-300, registration N44601, departed Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK) in Columbus, Ohio, at 1058. The aircraft climbed to 4,000 feet MSL and later reached approximately 6,000 feet MSL. ADS-B data indicates that between 1113 and 1119, the aircraft maintained a constant altitude and a ground track of 350° at an airspeed of 110 kts. At approximately 1121:55, the aircraft began descending at a rate of 1,000 feet per minute, with airspeed stabilizing near 100 kts.
A witness observed the aircraft flying south and performing a left circling turn with a "white mist" trailing behind it. The witness reported that the engine sounded as if it were oscillating before the engine "cut out" and the aircraft went "nose down" into the ground. The aircraft impacted the terrain in a steep, near-vertical, nose-down attitude. The accident resulted in 2 fatal injuries to the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger.
The investigation
Post-impact fire destroyed much of the airframe. The wreckage was located in an open field approximately a half-mile from a county road. Examination of the flight controls showed continuity to all primary controls, despite frayed cables and fractured bell cranks; no mechanical malfunction of the flight controls was found.
The engine and propeller were buried approximately 2 feet in the ground. A sound spectrum study of audio from a residential video doorbell suggested that shortly before impact, the engine speed significantly exceeded its rated speed of 2,700 rpm. While the descent and deceleration were consistent with a reduction in total energy, the aircraft's performance was not consistent with a total loss of engine power based on its stated glide performance. Examination of the engine showed no evidence of pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures, though the oil suction screen contained metallic debris.
Findings
- The aircraft's descent and impact with terrain occurred for undetermined reasons.
- The aircraft's performance and speed during the descent were not consistent with a total loss of engine power.
- The engine speed likely exceeded the rated 2,700 rpm during the descent.