20100810042959A

ON AUGUST 10, 2010 THIS OFFICE WAS NOTIFIED 06:30 LOCAL TIME BY THE FAA ROC THAT A PIPER PA32R-301, N220ST HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WITH ONE FATALITY IN WASHINGTON, GA. I WAS DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE AND ARRIVED AT 11:30 AM AND WAS MET BY WILKES COUNTY DEPUTY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. DEPUTY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS THE INITIAL FIRST RESPONDER AND LOCATED THE WRECKAGE FOLLOWING THE ELT SIGNAL BROADCAST ON 121.5. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED AT APPROXIMATELY 04:30 AM AND WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS CONCENTRATED AROUND THE FATALLY INJURED PILOT MR. JOHN LEUCI. INITIAL REPORTS INDICATED THAT N220ST DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AROUND 02:00 AM AND WAS BEING VECTORED TO WASHINGTON WILKES COUNTY AIRPORT (KIIY) THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 MILE FROM THE SITE. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AROUND 02:15 AM AND THE PILOTS WATCH SUPPORTS THIS, THE WATCH STOPPED WORKING AT 0210. THE SITE REMAINED SECURE UNTIL NTSB INVESTIGATOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ARRIVED AT 16:30 LOCAL. MR. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS FOLLOWED BY MR. RON MAYNARD, AIR SAFETY INVESTIGATOR FOR PIPER AIRCRAFT CO. AT APPROXIMATELY 17:50 LOCAL. THE PILOT, MR. LEUCI WAS REMOVED AND TAKEN TO THE MORGUE PRIOR TO MY ARRIVAL. A TOX BOX WAS GIVEN TO THE MORGUE.  MR. LEUCI HOLDS AN FAA COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE, MULTI AND SINGLE ENGINE LAND. THE TIME IN THIS MODEL IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME AND HAS REPORTED 2600 HOURS FLIGHT TIME AND 250 IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. THIS INFORMATION WAS REPORTED AS OF 06/30/2010. MR. LEUCI WAS ISSUED A 21-CLASS 2, CLEAR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON 06/30/2010.  AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE WEATHER WAS NIGHT VMC, MR. LEUCI WAS ON AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM HUNTSVILLE AL TO NORTH CAROLINA WHEN HE REPORTED ENGINE TROUBLE TO ATC. &#61656 AT APPROXIMATELY 0215 LOCAL, N220ST CRASHED IN A HEAVILY WOODED AREA BEHIND 1125 LEXINGTON ROAD, WASHINGTON, GA. WHILE ON A HEADING OF 304 DEGREES. THIS WAS APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES FROM WASHINGTON WILKES AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED TREES AT APPROXIMATELY 85 FEET IN THE AIR IN A FAIRLY FLAT PROFILE. THE LEFT WING SEPARATED FIRST AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO HAVE BECOME INVERTED BASED ON THE WRECKAGE OF THE TAIL SECTION. THE MAIN WRECKAGE STRUCK 3 LARGE PINE TREES AND CAME TO REST AND BURNED POST CRASH. THERE IS EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE CONCLUSION THAT FUEL WAS PRESENT TO SUPPORT COMBUSTION. FUEL SLIPS SHOW 40 US GALLONS OF FUEL WAS PURCHASED AT HUNTSVILLE AL. THE PIC WAS BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THE DATA PLATE WAS VERIFIED AND PRESENTED TO THE INSURANCE ADJUSTOR BY THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR.  AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE 100 INSPECTION WAS CURRENT AND COMPLETED ON JULY 30, 2010 AT 1959.5 HOURS HOBBS TIME. THE ANNUAL WAS COMPLETED ON APRIL 30, 2010 AT 1885.5 HOURS HOBBS. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT HAD APPROXIMATELY 20 HOURS SINCE THE ENGINE OVERHAUL AT 1959.5 HOURS HOBBS.  DURING THE INVESTIGATION IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT N220ST WAS ON COASTAL AVIATIONS CFR PART 135 OPERATIONS SPECIFICATIONS. AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTIGATION, ON AUGUST 12 AT APPROXIMATELY 1350 HOURS THE CFR PART 135 OPERATOR (COSTAL AVIATION INC. 0134A) SURRENDERED THE OPERATING CERTIFICATE TO THE PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT THE WEST COLUMBIA FSDO. THIS WAS IN RESPONSE TO THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING A FREIGHT CHARTER WITHOUT A PILOT AUTHORIZED (MR. JOHN LEUCI) UNDER 14 CFR PART 135.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD CARRIED FREIGHT FROM CHARLESTON TO HUNTSVILLE AND WAS RETURNING TO SOUTH CAROLINA. A STARTER WAS REPLACED IN HUNTSVILLE AL BY YULISTA AVIATION ON THE EVENING OF AUGUST 9, 2010.  THE PROPELLER HAD VERY LITTLE DAMAGE THAT INDICATED NO ROTATION. THE BLADES WERE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION EXCLUDING HEAT DAMAGE. ONE BLADE WAS BENT BACK INDICATING IMPACT WITH THE TREE THAT WAS NEXT TO THE ENGINE.