History of Flight
On January 31, 2024, at approximately 1248 central standard time, a Piper PA-24-180 airplane, registration N5520P, was substantially damaged in an accident at Weedon Field Airport (EUF) in Eufaula, Alabama. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The manager of the airport's fixed-base operator saw the pilot on the ramp earlier that day and spoke briefly with him. She later observed the airplane taxiing for departure but did not witness the takeoff. The following day, a pilot taxiing for departure reported seeing a crashed airplane at the departure end of runway 18. The wreckage was located approximately 300 feet from that runway's end.
ADS-B data indicated that the airplane departed from runway 36 and subsequently initiated a turn back toward the runway. The tracking data ended during the 180-degree turn.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was equipped with two main wing fuel tanks, each placarded with a capacity of 30 gallons, and two wingtip fuel tanks, each placarded with a capacity of 15 gallons. The wingtip tanks were installed under a supplemental type certificate. Two fuel selectors (left and right) allowed selection of off, main, or wingtip tank positions. No maintenance records or pilot logbooks were available for review.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage came to rest on a magnetic heading of approximately 70 degrees. All primary flight control surfaces remained attached. The nose was crushed aft to the cockpit and partially separated from the fuselage. Flight control continuity was established for all primary surfaces. The engine and avionics instruments were destroyed by impact. The empennage showed crush damage and remained partially attached. The horizontal and vertical control surfaces were attached and unremarkable. Both wings remained attached and exhibited impact damage.
The fuselage showed significant compression on the cabin top. The cabin roof separated at the instrument panel and compressed aft. The firewall deformed downward and aft, placing the engine beneath the instrument panel. The instrument panel and controls were damaged and rotated approximately 75 degrees nose-down from their original orientation. Compression damage was noted on the cabin top just aft of the wing trailing edge, where the fuselage was torn open along the sides and bottom.
The stabilator remained attached. The right side had minor buckling on the top surface and was removed during recovery; the left side was intact. The stabilator trim surface remained attached at the hinges. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were attached with no significant damage. Rudder balance weights were intact. Control cables for the stabilator, trim, and rudder were attached at the empennage but could not be moved to their control interfaces due to cabin floor deformation. The stabilator trim actuator rod was extended 0.2 inches, indicating a mid-range nose-down trim position.
The left wing had leading-edge compression along its span. Approximately 63 inches of the left aileron separated near the inboard chord, leaving about 10 inches attached. The aileron control rod remained connected to the left bellcrank, and both aileron cables were attached. The left flap was attached at all three hinges but buckled near mid-span.
The right wing was removed during recovery. The right aileron and flap were attached at all hinges, but the right flap control rod was broken. The right aileron could be actuated manually at the wing root. Buckling was observed on the top wing surface outboard of the fuel filler port and outboard of the flap. Cabin floor distortion prevented movement of the aileron cables to the control column.
Fuel was observed leaking from the breached fuel system. The left fuel selector was positioned to OFF and securely in the detent; the right fuel selector was positioned to R MAIN and secured. Using low-pressure air, approximately 1 ounce of fuel was expelled from the right main tank line and 2–3 ounces from the right tip tank line. Water-detecting paste showed no water contamination. Both fuel selectors functioned correctly in operational checks.
The left main 30-gallon bladder tank was ruptured and contained no fuel; its filler cap was secure. No hydraulic deformation was observed in the left wing. Air blown through the left tip tank line caused fuel to exit at the inboard end of the left aileron, confirming the main tank breach. The right main bladder tank also contained no fuel; its filler cap was secure and the tank remained intact. No hydraulic deformation was noted in the right wing.
The left wingtip tank was breached, and its filler cap was not recovered. The right tip tank remained intact with minor impact damage; its filler cap was secure and the tank was void of fuel.
The inline screens for all tanks were clean. The engine-mounted electric fuel pump operated smoothly under test conditions. The internal fuel screen was clean. The fuel strainer contained no fuel, a clean screen, and minor debris in the bowl.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences performed an autopsy of the pilot. The cause of death was multiple blunt force trauma, and the manner was accident. Postaccident toxicology testing detected Sertraline and Desmethylsertraline in the pilot's specimens. Sertraline is a prescription antidepressant of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) class. The pilot did not report this medication at his last aviation medical examination.
Tests and Research
Fueling records showed that on January 19, 2024, the pilot purchased 13.5 gallons of 100LL avgas to top off the main fuel tanks. On January 28, 2024, he added 17.3 gallons to the left wingtip tank. No other fueling records were provided. ADS-B data indicated the airplane flew approximately 3.95 hours between the January 19 fueling and the accident flight. According to the pilot's operating handbook, fuel consumption at normal cruise power ranges from 9.5 to 10.5 gallons per hour, suggesting the airplane would have consumed 37 to 41 gallons during that period, plus additional fuel for taxi and takeoff.