20010422006579A

(-19) On April 22, 2001, at 2346 CDT, a Piper PA34-220T twin-engine airplane, N4312G, was destroyed when it impacted trees and terrain while manuevering near Brackettville, Texas. The airplane was registered to and operated by a private individual. The airline transport pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and two other passengers were seriously injured. Dark night instrument meteorologist conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight departed san antonio, Texas, approx. 2300, and was destined for del rio, Texas. According to the FAA, U.S. Border patrol personnel, and local authorities, the pilot called the san angelo flight service station (fss) and requested a weather briefing for his route of flight three times prior to departing. While enroute, the pilot called the san angelo fss and requested that they "encountered weather and knew there was something wrong". The passenger added that he had unfastened his seat belt in order to listen to what the pilot was saying when the airplane started to impact trees and terrain. The wife of one of the passengers called the local authorities after her husband had not returned. A search was initiated and the a/c was located by border patrol approx. 12 hours after the accident. The airplane impacted trees and hilly terrain along a measured magnetic heading of 300 degrees. The wreckage energy path measured 252 feet in length. The initial impact marks were noted on 8 to 12-foot cedar trees. The trees displayed fresh level breaks and some limbs were cut. Near the initial tree impact area was the left wing tip, which came to rest on the left side of the energy path. The inital ground scar was located approx. 30 feet from thebroken ands cut trees. The ground scar displayed blue paint transfers, which matched the color of the airplane. Laying near the ground scar was a 4-inch section of propeller blade tip. A 3-foot section of the right outboard wing was wrapped around a pinlon tree on the right side of the energy path. The right outboard aileron seciton remained attached to the right wing section. The inboard section of right airleron came to rest approx. 20 feet fr om the separated right outboard wing section. Near the end of the energy path, the terrain descended approx. 30 feet into a gully. The airplane came to rest inverted in the gully on a measured magnetic heading of 250 degrees. Initial on-scene examination of the accident site revealed that the entire cockpit and cabin area was destroyed by fire damage. The left wing and empennage remained attached to the fuselage. The left and right engine remained attached to their respective wings, and their propellers remained attached to their flanges. Both the left and right propeller blades sustained deep leading edge gouges and scrapes along the cambered side of the blades. All of the propeller blades were bent aft, twisted, and curled aft toward their tips. The oil pans on both engines were broken and sustained fire damage. The engine crankshaft, camshaft, connecting rod and ends, lifter lobes, and tappets were visible and appeared to be intact. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the flight control surfaces with the exception of the left and right airlerons. The left aileron was separated from the left wing; however, it was found adjacent to the main wreckage area. (-23) during cruise, night VFR, aircraft struck rising terrain crashed and burned, killing the pilot and left passenger, 2 right side passengers were injured.