20191005015609A

On October 5, 2019, at approximately 1702 EDT, N326CW, a Piper PA-60-602P Aerostar, impacted terrain shortly after departure from the Kokomo Municipal Airport (kokk). The accident site was approximately 3.6 miles south of the kokk airport. The airplane was being operated by a non-owner pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The impact destroyed the airplane. The pilot, sole occupant, suffered fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.

A post-accident investigation revealed that the aircraft came to rest in a level field approximately 700 feet south of state highway 35, 1800 feet east of county road s 300 e. Kokomo, IN. The debris field was 328 feet long from initial contact with the ground to where the aircraft came to rest. The damage is concurrent with a low angle, high energy impact. The engine and propeller controls were in the full forward position. The left and right wing fuel bays were ruptured. The fuselage fuel bladder was ruptured. In addition, the STC?d 44 gallon auxiliary fuselage fuel tank was thrown from the aircraft and hydraulically ruptured. The magneto switches were in the ?both? Position. The electrical switches were in the ?on? Position. The landing gear and flaps were in the retracted position. Flight control continuity was validated. From the initial impact to the resting point, the ground was saturated with fuel. There was an overwhelming odor of jet-a fuel. There was no post-accident fire.

Airman records indicate that the pilot?s last medical exam was on 11/09/2018. At the time of the exam, the pilot reported 7500 hours total flight time, 200 hours in the previous 6 months. The aircraft was sold on 08/23/2019, operating on a temporary registration. Per the aircraft registry the, registration was current and valid. The aircraft held a standard airworthiness certificate. The last annual inspection was performed on 08/22/2019. The aircraft had flown 11.7 hours since last maintenance/annual inspection.

An interview with the airport employee, who had refueled the aircraft, and a review of the refueling logs validated that the aircraft was refueled at approximately 11AM with 163 gallons of jet-a per the pilot?s request. Aircraft total fuel capacity is 208 gallons. The lineman that refueled the aircraft stated that he could not insert the jet-a nozzle into the fuel tank, but if he held the nozzle at the ?right? Angle the fuel would ?shoot? In with minimal spillage. The refueling ports were equipped with reduced filler necks per Piper sb 797B. The tanks were properly placarded ?100 ll fuel only? Beside the fuel filler cap. One pint of fuel was recovered from the fuselage auxiliary tank. In addition fuel samples were obtained from the left and right engines fuel system. The fuel samples were clear and smelled of jet-a. spark plugs were removed from both engines. The spark plugs were damaged and the tops of the pistons were ?scrubbed? Or ?sandblasted? In appearance, concurrent with severe detonation.

Three eye witnesses stated that they saw the aircraft headed south as if it had just departed the kokk airport. They said the aircraft was flying extremely low and ?wobbling? Its wings up and down. The aircraft made a sharp left turn back to the north, the left wing contacted the ground and then crashed. One of them immediately contacted 911.