# Accident 20160729014689A: Piper PA-31T, Mckinleyville, CA, July 29, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 29, 2016, 01:05 local time
- Place: Mckinleyville, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: JXKA
- Location: 41.0272° N, 124.0103° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0272&lon=-124.0103&mi=10
- Aircraft: N661TC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N661TC-2017-07-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-31T (registry code 7103124, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-31t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A series (registry code 52032, https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-pt6a-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-31T
- Reported engine: P&W PT6A SER
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 7,448 total, 65 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR16FA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA153) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160729014689A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON JULY 29, 2016, AT 0105PDT, N661TC A PIPER PA-31T CHEYENNE II AIRPLANE, OPERATED BY CAL-ORE LIFE FLIGHT, LLC. WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING A REPORT OF SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT, LOSS OF CONTROL, INFLIGHT BREAK UP AND GROUND IMPACT, 6.16 MILES FROM ARCATA/EUREKA AIRPORT, MCKINLEYVILLE, CA. THE PILOT, 2 MEDICAL TECHS AND 1 PATIENT WERE FATALLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT.

ALL FOUR CORNERS OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE MAJORITY OF THE WRECKAGE, WAS FOUND IN 9 SEPARATE AREAS SCATTERED ACROSS .35 MILES OF STEEP, HEAVILY FORESTED TERRAIN. THE WRECKAGE IN EACH SECTION APPEARS TO HAVE FALLEN NEAR VERTICAL BETWEEN TREES TO THEIR FINAL RESTING POSITIONS. THE LACK OF IMPACT DAMAGE TO THE WRECKAGE AND SIZE OF THE DEBRIS FIELD IS EVIDENCE TO A LOW ALTITUDE INFLIGHT BREAKUP.

THE ENGINES, PRATT AND WHITNEY PT6A-135, SEPARATED FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE WINGS AND SHOW NO EVIDENCE OF INFLIGHT OR POST-CRASH FIRE. BOTH WINGS SEPARATED INTO TWO SECTIONS (INBOARD AND OUTBOARD) AND WERE FREE OF ANY LEADING EDGE IMPACT DAMAGE. INBOARD WING SECTIONS WITH FLAP AND LANDING GEAR IN THE RETRACTED POSITION EXHIBITED EXTENSIVE THERMAL DAMAGE FROM POST-CRSH FIRE. THE VERTICAL STABILIZER SEPARATED FROM THE EMPENNAGE, WITH EVIDENCE OF SOOTING CONSISTENT WITH AN INFLIGHT FIRE. THE LEFT AILERON, RUDDER, LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND BOTH ELEVATORS SEPARATED FROM THEIR STRUCTURE AND WERE NOT RECOVERED.

THE MAIN FUSELAGE TUBE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT MISSING WINGS, WING CARRY THROUGH STRUCTURE AND TAIL. THE LEFT SIDE,COCKPIT AREA WAS DAMAGED FROM IMPACT WITH A TREE BUT THE AFT FUSELAGE AND EMPENNAGE WERE LARGELY INTACT. THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE AT THE FUSELAGE SITE. AN EVEN COATING OF LIGHT SOOT COVERED THE ENTIRE FUSELAGE EXTERIOR SKIN BUT NO SIGN OF THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE EXTERIOR PAINT.

INTERIOR THERMAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE FLOOR AREA BETWEEN THE TWO COCKPIT SEATS NEAR THE HIGH VOLTAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER PANEL MOUNTED ON THE FLOOR. THE HEAT SIGNATURE EXTENDED AFT TO THE FORWARD EDGE OF THE WING SPAR CARRY THROUGH STRUCTURE WHERE THE WINGS SEPARATED. DUE TO THE WING SEPARATION, IMPACT DAMAGE AND FIRE, THE ORIGIN AND FUEL TO SUSTAIN THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION. THERMAL DAMAGE EVIDENCE IS BEING REVIEWED BY A  NTSB FIRE AND EXPLOSIVE SPECIALIST.

ALL 4 BODIES WERE FOUND FATALLY INJURED INSIDE THE FUSELAGE. THE MEDICAL EXAMINERS REPORT INDICATES THE PILOT DIED AS A RESULT OF EXTENSIVE BLUNT FORCE TRAMA. TOXICOLOGY DETECTED NOTHING THAT WOULD POSE A HAZARD TO FLIGHT SAFETY. THE PILOT'S RIGHT HAND AND LEG SHOWED SIGNS OF THERMAL/HEAT INJURY TO SKIN . THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS FOUND SECURED IN ITS MOUNT AND FULL.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR16FA153](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA153), Jul 29, 2016: Piper PA-31T (N661TC), McKinleyville, CA, destroyed, 4 fatal. Probable cause: An inflight fire in the floor area near the main bus tie circuit breaker panel that resulted from chafing between an electrical wire and a hydraulic line and/or airplane structure.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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