History of Flight
On March 10, 2024, about 1503 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-32-260, registration N3264W, was destroyed in an accident near Madras, Oregon. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight was operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91.
ADS-B data showed the flight departed Aurora State Airport (UAO) at 1404:10 and climbed to 10,000 ft msl on an easterly heading. At 1502:01, it ascended to 13,100 ft msl, with groundspeed decreasing from 118 to 74 knots. At 1502:11, at 13,300 ft msl, the airplane entered a descending right turn. The last ADS-B data point was at 1503:28 at 4,700 ft msl, about 0.2 miles southwest of the accident site.
A power utility company experienced a powerline surge about 1503 and sent a maintenance crew, who discovered the wreckage at about 1940 and alerted authorities. Two witnesses about 3 miles northwest reported the airplane descending in a spiral, one noting it was intact. Another witness reported rain showers and loud engine noise.
Personnel Information
The pilot had about 788 total flight hours, with 12 hours in the 30 days before the accident. The recovered logbook, marked number two and starting June 27, 2021, contained no logged simulated or actual instrument flight time.
Meteorological Information
A meteorology study placed the accident site west of a cold front on the cold-air side of an occluded front. This front extended from a low-pressure system over southeast Alaska through British Columbia into Washington, then as a cold front into Oregon and northern California. Geostationary satellite imagery showed mid-level clouds over the site with cloud top temperatures of -16°C, corresponding to altitudes near 12,500 ft msl. The sounding indicated strong vertical wind shear near cloud tops. Pilot reports within 100 miles cited light-to-moderate turbulence and icing. G-AIRMET forecasts included IFR conditions, mountain obscuration, icing, and strong surface winds. Icing probability imagery for about 1508 local time showed a 40-50% probability of icing and 20-45% probability of supercooled large droplet conditions over the site. No record existed of the pilot contacting flight service.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted sloping terrain between north-south high-power transmission lines about 7 miles southeast of Madras Municipal Airport (S33) at 2,884 ft msl. A small post-crash fire occurred but extinguished quickly due to recent rains. The engine came to rest on its right side, with wreckage scattered between two 100-ft-tall towers. The top static line was cut, and main wreckage lay nearly directly below the lines. The first identified point of contact was a ground scar 5 ft deep, 12 ft wide, and 20 ft long at magnetic heading 130°, with debris spread 300 ft both forward and aft. The engine separated from its mount and was found right side up beyond the main impact crater, facing opposite the direction of travel. All major structural components were within the debris path. A portion of the static wire was found near the right wing.
Damage to Aircraft
The aircraft structure was heavily fragmented. Both wings, primary and secondary flight surfaces, center section, left and right horizontal stabilators, elevators, and vertical stabilizer with rudder were separated. Engine examination found no preexisting anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Flight Recorders
The airplane was equipped with a JPI EDM-730/830 engine data monitor, which provided data for the final five minutes of the flight.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Oregon State Medical Examiner determined the pilot's cause of death as blunt force injury, with manner accidental. Toxicological testing of heart and liver tissue detected no tested-for substances or medications that would have posed a hazard to flight safety.