20030615017949A

(-23) On June 15, 2003, at approximately 1315 local time, a Cessna CE-210-5 (205), N124A, was involved in an accident at greensburg-Jeannette regional airport (5G8). The aircraft was piloted by Mr. Richard stewart dipretoro and owned by Mr. Charles edward bryant a passenger; both were fatally injured. Altoona afss, at arnold palmer regional airport (lbe), reported approximately eleven miles southeast, was: winds calm a few clouds at five thousand feet, temperature-seventy-five degrees fahrenheit, dew point-fifty-nine degrees fahrenheit and barometric pressure of 30.08 inches of mercury. Mr. Dipretoro held a commercial pilot certificate, with ratings for single engine land and instrument; issued on February 2, 2002. His second-class medical was issued on December 9, 200S. Review of this pilot's logbook indicated he had accumulated 826 hours flight time with thirteen hours in type. At the time of the accident the aircraft had five occupants, four parachutists and the pilot; four were fatally injured and one severely injured who was transported by helicopter to a local hospital and is recovering from his injuries. The four fatalities were found belted in their seats at the scene. The sole survivor was thrown clear of the aircraft and was found approximately ten feet off the nose of the aircraft. Several witnesses gave statements concerning the flight and the accident from. privacy data omitted, A witness, who was a passenger/parachutist on the previous two flights, stated that, "as the plane was taking off" they "heard a loud bang and the plane stopped climbing." When further questioned at an interview on a later date he described the "bang" as a backfire. At this interview the witness also stated that the engine sounded like it was at a reduced power setting and was running smoothly and not stumbling or cutting out. They saw the aircraft make a "low left turn" the aircraft then crossed the runway and then "banked hard right... Back to the runway". The witness stated that just prior to hitting the trees the aircraft's nose pitched up, wings were level, and the engine sounded as if it momentarily went full power. The witness was asked how the aircraft had performed during the two (2) previous flights; he replied that he had noticed no problems during those flights. The witness was then asked, upon arriving at the scene, did he happen to notice any fuel smell, and he replied that he did not notice any fuel smell. privacy data omitted, Witness, who was sitting on his motorcycle on the ramp south of a group of trailers and a private pilot, saw the aircraft taxi from the grass at the southwest corner of the field to runway 02. He did not hear the aircraft perform a run-up prior to take-off. The aircraft was off the ground by the first taxiway and everything appeared "normal". He stated that the aircraft climbed okay but "loaded". "As the aircraft continued its ascent the engine began to sputter", the witnesses estimated that the aircraft was about one quarter of a mile from the end of the runway. The aircraft went out of view at that point so the witness moved toward the runway just in front of the trailers and regained sight of the aircraft as it was making a left turn and appeared to be returning to the airport. privacy data omitted Thought that the aircraft had the airport made, but it continued the left turn and traveled perpendicular to the runway, it also sounded that the aircraft had power then. The aircraft then disappeared from sight. privacy data omitted Did not see the aircraft collide with the trees but claims to have heard the engine cut out just prior to the sound of the aircraft colliding with the trees. privacy data omitted, Witness, who was mowing his lawn, did not hear anything but saw the aircraft flying between his house and the airport. He stated that they had never seen an aircraft fly there before, the aircraft then "started to wobble from right to left" the aircraft then banked so that the wings were almost vertical, the aircraft then leveled and flew into the trees. privacy data omitted Rode in the aircraft prior to the fatal flight was interviewed; this individual has no aviation experience. When asked if there was anything that stood out during his flight on this aircraft he replied that it took three (3) tries to get the engine started. He also noticed that the "doors on the engine were open" and wondered why they were told that it was to help cool the engine. privacy data omitted Stated that the aircraft was not fueled prior to the flight but it appeared that two (2) quarts of oil were added to the engine. After the engine was started there was nothing that stood out as abnormal during the flight. privacy data omitted The sole survivor, was interviewed while still in the hospital. He has no recollection of the flight orthe accident. The impact area is on airport property; it is lightly wooded, hill type terrain. The main wreckage was oriented at approximately 170 degrees magnetic, 20 feet below the runway elevation and 255 feet northeast of the approach end of runway 20. The aircraft impacted the trees approximately 30 feet from the ground and was traveling on a heading of approximately 210 degrees magnetic. The initial impact, the debris field and the final resting place of the main wreckage covered a distance of approximately 125 feet in distance. All pieces of the aircraft were located. The left wing impacted a cherry tree, which became uprooted from the impact. The impact caused the separation of the left wing and strut, a portion of the cabin roof and the cabin wall assembly from the aircraft, which was found under the tree. The left wing came to rest in an upright position and had concave indentations and brown transfers on the leading edges. The fuel tank had fuel remaining but the fuel bladder was ruptured and the fuel cap was in place. The step from the left landing gear strut was imbedded into the tree and there was white paint transferred onto the tree. The right wing impacted a pine tree that was verified by the concave impact indentations and brown transfer marks. A portion of the right horizontal stabilizer was found imbedded in the tree approximately 25 to 30 feet high. The right wing was found with the fuselage and was still attached; rescue/recovery personnel removed the wing assembly to gain access to the victims. There was fuel remaining in the fuel cell, which was ruptured. The second point of impact was approximately 60 feet from the initial impact with the trees. Approximately seven to ten feet from this location, we found the left main gear assembly, a cabin door and plexiglas window material. The final impact area is where the bulk of the wreckage; engine, fuselage, empennage, and right wing, came to rest; this is approximately 60 to 70 feet from the second impact point. At this location the fuselage was positioned on its right side and close to being upside down. An inventory of the cockpit/cabin area revealed that the throttle was in the "full" position, the mixture was in the "full rich" position, the prop was in the "maximum RPM" position, the flaps were selected up, the electric boost pump switches were in the "off" position, the ignition switch was selected to the "both" position, and the fuel selector lever was in the "right" position. Also the annotation "switch tanks" was handwritten on the instrument panel. We found the current airworthiness, registration and radio license certificates. The tachometer hour meter was stopped at 470.4 hours. Also found was a small folder with several small notebooks inside. These notebooks contained handwritten information on dates of flights, fuel contents, tachometer readings, maintenance performed and who flew the aircraft. The propeller was found still attached to the engine, one blade was found to have some torsion twist to it while the other blade was bent back along the cowling. Both blades exhibited scratches along the cord length of the blades. The engine was still attached to the engine mount, which was still attached to the firewall. The cowlings were intact and still latched in position. The engine, propeller, firewall and cockpit area were separated from the rest of the engine and taken to another location for further examination. During that examination the engine was removed from the remaining airframe. External damage to the engine was found to the following; the oil cooler which is located on the right, was crushed back to the right front cylinder causing damage to that cylinder head and rocker box and cover, the engine was jammed back into the firewall broke the pulley drive to the alternator and the sparkplug wires were pinched off on the forward right cylinder. The top sparkplugs were removed from the cylinders, they were worn and black in color. Also, the plugs from the right bank cylinders were coated with oil. The rocker-box covers were removed and the engine rotated, all cylinders produced thumb compression and valve train continuity was established. The engine driven fuel pump was removed and found to contain fuel and to rotate. The gearbox rotated normally when the engine was rotated. Spark was checked found at all sparkplug wires. The oil filter was removed and cut oen for examination, what was in the filter was dark oil, but no metal contamination was found. Throttle position was confirmed from the indentation left by the throttle arm when the engine was driven back into the firewall. The engine has been retained and sent to Continental for further analysis. The electric fuel boost pump was removed and tested; the pump operated and pumped fluid at sufficient rate. The fuel system was confirmed for continuity, where there were separations there was evidence of fresh breakage of the fuel lines. Fuel samples were taken from various areas of the airframe and engine the findings are as follows: left wing-fuel appeared to be blue in color consistent with 100LL and with small black particles settling and transparent white particles in suspension; right wing-had a small amount of fuel in the crevasses but sample could be taken; left and right header tanks-no fuel could be drained from tank drains; fuel line from the engine driven fuel pump to the fuel regulator-small amount of fuel found with white transparent particles suspended; fuel line from the fuel regulator to the fuel distributor (spider)-small amount of fuel with small amount of dark particles that settled out. There were no fuel facilities available at the greensburg-jeanette airport and the aircraft was fueled out of five-gallon containers, fueling slips from a local FBO based at the mount pleasant/scottsdale airport (P45) substantiated this. The owner of the aircraft had purchased forty gallons of 100LL fuel and had the fuel dispensed into eight, five gallon red polyurethane fuel containers. This is supported by fueling slips dated April 26, 2003, and may 23, 2003, and by a signed written statement made by the owners of the FBO. Fuel was sampled from the dispensing pump and the tank checked for water. There was no water found in the tank and the dispensed fuel sample was blue in color and clear, no particles settling out or in suspension. Continuity of all flight control surfaces from the cockpit to the control surfaces was confirmed at the scene. The left wing, which was severed during the accident showed evidence of "broom-strawing" at the cable breaks. All control surfaces were found still attached to the attach points. Flap position (retracted) was verified through measurement of the flap actuator. The aircraft maintenance records were obtained and reviewed. The aircraft had a current annual inspection, which was signed off on October 4, 2002, at 454.7 hours tach time. Airworthiness directives were found to be current as well. In one of the notepads found in the aircraft was an entry dated March 16, 2003,-459.7-OIL change-no filter. There were no other maintenance records found after these two dates. Another notebook appeared tobe a type of flight log that included the "date", "aircraft", "tach start", "tach end", "time", and "fuel @ start". There are several entries on this page. On 6-14-03 "aircraft" 124A had a "tach start" of 467.8 and "fuel @ start" of 62 and on 6-15-03 "aircraft" 124A had a "tach start" of 468.9. The tachometer showed at time of 470.4, there was no other comment listed that any other fuel had been added since 6-14-03 or that anyone had annotated what the "fuel @ start" was on 6-15-03.