History of Flight
The Piper PA-28R-180 (C-FURX, serial number 28R30535) departed Kingston, Ontario, at 1827 Eastern Daylight Time on a night visual flight rules (VFR) flight to Sudbury, Ontario. The aircraft carried the pilot and three passengers. The estimated time of arrival at Sudbury was 2042. At 2052, an emergency locator transmitter signal was reported by an overflying aircraft. The Trenton Joint Rescue Coordination Centre was notified and a search initiated. The aircraft was located the following day at 0302, approximately 22 statute miles east of South River, Ontario. All four occupants were fatally injured.
The pilot contacted the London Flight Information Centre (FIC) twice before departure. At 1655, the pilot obtained a weather briefing for the return flight from Kingston to Sudbury, planning departure at 1800. At 1755, the pilot filed a VFR flight plan indicating direct flight to Sudbury, airspeed 135 knots, time en route 2 hours 15 minutes, and 3.5 hours of fuel. The aircraft departed Kingston at 1827. The last radio contact occurred as the aircraft left the Kingston control zone.
Radar data showed the aircraft on a direct track to Sudbury at 3000 feet above sea level (asl) until 1852. It reappeared on North Bay radar at 1937, approximately 30 nautical miles north of the direct track at 2400 feet asl. The last radar contact at 1941 placed the aircraft 3 nautical miles southeast of the accident site at 2100 feet asl, with several heading changes in the last four minutes.
Wreckage Information
The accident site was near the western boundary of Algonquin Park, on a tree-covered hill at 1660 feet asl. The aircraft struck tree tops at a near-level attitude, resulting in substantial break-up along a 300-foot wreckage trail. The engine and propeller were found beyond the main wreckage. The aircraft was intact prior to tree impact, and the engine was developing power. Investigators were unable to locate several key instruments due to debris and ground foliage.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a valid private pilot licence for single-engine land and seaplanes. The last logbook entry was dated 23 August 2009. Total flight time was 205.4 hours, including 102.8 hours day dual, 79.9 hours day pilot-in-command (PIC), 17.2 hours night dual, and 5.5 hours night PIC. The pilot completed training for a night rating but the application was not received by Transport Canada, and no rating was issued. The pilot did not hold an instrument flight rules rating. The last night flight prior to the accident was a cross-country with an instructor on 5 June 2009. This occurrence was to be the pilot's first night cross-country as PIC. No evidence indicated physiological factors affected performance.
Weather Information
At 1655, the pilot called the London FIC for a weather briefing. The Graphical Area Forecast (GFA) valid from 2000 showed a cold front stretching from east of Sault Ste. Marie to Timmins, moving eastward. The briefer indicated the front was expected in the Sudbury area near the aircraft's planned arrival. The forecast ahead of the front included showers and a ceiling of 3000 feet asl; behind the front, isolated towering cumulus clouds and visibility of 3 miles in light snow showers were forecast. The pilot focused on destination weather and assumed conditions would improve. The aircraft likely did not exceed 3000 feet asl throughout the flight, making radio contact difficult. No pre-impact faults were found; the aircraft impacted trees in controlled level flight.