20020914025239A

(.19) On or about 0900 mountain standard time on September 14, 2002, a Piper PA-18A-150, N8980D, collided with the ground under undetermined circumstances in a flat desert area 19 miles south west of the Ryan airport, Tucson, Arizona. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91 of the federal aviation regulations, and was destroyed in the impact sequence. The commercial pilot/airplane owner and a passenger, who also holds a private pilot certificate, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the presumed local area personal flight that departed from the Ryan airport at 0800. According to information from the federal aviation administration (FAA), pima county sheriff's investigators, and officers from the Arizona department of public safety (dps), the passenger's family reported the airplane overdue on the morning of the 15th when the passenger failed to return home. The FAA issued an alnot for the missing airplane and it was found by (dps) search helicopter at 1641 that afternoon. Information developed by pima county sheriff's investigators revealed that the pilot and passenger intended a short duration local area flight. Sheriff's investigators also interviewed persons at the Ryan airport who stated that the pilot liked to land in the desert. Initial assessment of the accident site disclosed extensive longitudinal crush and collapse of the fuselage back to within 3 feet of the horizontal stabilizers. Ground scar impressions were noted about 15 feet from the wreckage that dimensionally and geometrically resembled the nose of the airplane and the left wing tip. No other ground disturbances were observed in the vicinity. The airplane was equipped with the large tundra tires. Approximately 15-gallons of fuel was found in each fuel tank and the cockpit throttle control was in the full open position. About 1/2 mile further southwest of the wreckage, a large flat clear area was noted with multiple tire tracks crossing the field. The tire tracks were dimensionally similar to the main gear tires on the airplane and were approximately spaced about the wheel width of the PA-18 series airplanes. Two sets of tracks were found with a center track approximating the geometry and dimension of the airplane's tailwheel; these tracks started, proceeded for a distance estimated about 500 feet, where they turned around and proceeded back the opposite way until they disappeared. Two additional tracks were observed without the center track trace; these tracks were shorter in length at about 200 feet. No foot prints could be discerned around any of the tracks. The accident site was noted to be in a location consistent with the approximate traffic pattern distance from a landing point at either a base-to-final or crosswind-to-upwind turn point. (-23) acft. Appeared to be making off aprt. Landings in the descent and dove into the ground causing fatal injuries to pilot & pax. Accident EST 0900 on the 14th. Acft located 1700 on the 15th.