20241206019169A

ON 12/9/2024 ASI WAS DISPATCHED TO THE ACCIDENT SITE. EVALUATION DETERMINED AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND DESTROYED.

LOCATED AND PHOTOGRAPHED THE AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE, OWNER’S REGISTRATION, WEIGHT & BALANCE, AND PILOT’S OPERATING HANDBOOK.

INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT INCLUDED SUMPING BOTH LEFT- & RIGHT-WING FUEL TANKS, NO FUEL COULD BE DRAINED FROM THE LOW POINT SUMP FROM EITHER SIDE. INSPECTED THE CENTER BELLY/FUSELAGE DRAIN POINT, AND APPROXIMATELY 1 TABLESPOON OF FUEL WAS DRAINED. ATTEMPTED TO INSPECT THE FIREWALL MOUNTED FILTER/BOWL ASSEMBLY AND THE DRAIN CABLE WAS BROKEN FROM THE DRAIN LEVER. THE LOWER COWLING WAS OPENED TO GAIN ACCESS THE FUEL FILTER/BOWL ASSEMBLY. THE DRAIN TUBE WAS REMOVED, AND THE DRAIN LEVER WAS ACTUATED, WHICH PRODUCED APPROXIMATELY 1 TABLESPOON OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE FUEL FILTER/BOWL. PHOTOGRAPHED THE ENGINE TACHOMETER, ELECTRIC HOBBS HOUR METER, FUEL QUANTITY INDICATORS, INSTRUMENT PANEL, ENGINE CONTROL HANDLE POSITIONS, FUEL SELECTOR PLACARD AND FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE. THERE WERE NO SIGNS OR EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKING AT THE FUEL FILL PORTS ON THE TOP OF THE WINGS, LOW-POINT DRAINS UNDER THE WINGS, THE CENTER FUSELAGE DRAIN PORT OR THE FIREWALL FILTER/BOWL ASSEMBLY. THERE WAS A LIGHT FILM OF ENGINE OIL PRESENT ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THE FUSELAGE BELLY SKIN THAT EMANATED FROM THE ENGINE CRANKCASE BREATHER.

CONTACTED THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PIC ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ VIA PHONE CALL. OBTAINED HIS EMAIL ADDRESS AND SENT HIM THE COMPLIANCE BROCHURE COMPLETED WITH HIS NAME, AIRCRAFT N#, AND ASKED HIM TO REVIEW IT AND CONTACT ME. ONCE HE DID, I CALLED HIM FOR A CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FLIGHT. HE STATED THIS FLIGHT WAS FOR A LONG CROSS-COUNTRY OF 250 MILE REQUIREMENT FOR HIS INSTRUMENT TRAINING. HE & HIS CFII DEPARTED MEI AND FLEW TO PIB, THEN MVC AND THEN INTENDED TO RETURN TO MEI. HE STATED THAT HE NORMALLY USES A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF 3,000 MSL, BUT HIS CFI INSTRUCTED HIM TO CLIMB TO 4,500 FOR THE CRUISE SEGMENTS OF THIS CROSS COUNTRY. DURING THE CLIMB AFTER DEPARTING MVC HE ASKED THE CFII IF THEY SHOULD LAND AND TAKE ON FUEL. THE CFII ASKED HIM HOW MUCH FUEL HE HAD PUT ON THE AIRCRAFT AT MEI BEFORE THEY DEPARTED, AND HE STATED 5.5 HOURS. THE CFII REPLIED THEY COULD CONTINUE THE RETURN TO MEI. THEY BEGAN DESCENDING TO PREPARE FOR THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO MEI AND HE STATED HE APPLIED CARB HEAT WHEN HE REDUCED ENGINE POWER. ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE APPROACH FROM RWY 01, THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN AND THEY INTENDED TO LAND IN THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PLOT, BUT THEY COULD NOT CLEAR THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED INTO THE WOODED AREA JUST SOUTH OF THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PLOT WITH THE EMPENNAGE WEDGED AGAINST A TREE, LEAVING THE RIGHT WING 8 FEET HIGH IN THE AIR, LEFT WING FOLDED IN HALF AT THE SUPPORT STRUT, AND ENGINE/COWLING/PROP AGAINST THE GROUND.

A REVIEW OF THE AIRWORTHINESS FILE WAS ACCOMPLISHED AND FOUND A MAJOR ALTERATION WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON 4/3/2002 REPLACING THE OEM 150L MODEL WINGS WITH 150K EXTENDED RANGE MODEL WINGS. FAA FORM 337 REFLECTS THAT THE WINGS INSTALLED ARE APPLICABLE SERIAL NUMBER RANGE 15071129 THRU 15072003. THIS AIRCRAFT, N5321Q IS SERIAL NUMBER 15073221.

PILOT STATEMENT BELOW:

THE FLIGHT ON DEC 6TH WAS THE LONG X COUNTRY LANDING IN THREE DIFFERENT AIRPORTS W THREE DIFFERENT INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEMS. AFTER REFUELING IN KMEI, WE TOOK OFF TO KPIB HATTIESBURG MS TO DO THE VOR APPROACH. AFTER KPIB WE TOOK OFF TO KMVC TO DO THE RNAV. AFTER KMVC WE TOOK OFF BACK TO MERIDIAN KMEI TO DO THE ILS WHERE WE WERE VECTORED TO RUNWAY 01. THE AIRPLANE DIED ABOUT A HALF MILE FROM THE RUNWAY THENCE AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS COMMENCED.

FLIGHT PLANNING WAS DONE ON FOREFLIGHT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND I TALKED IN PERSON ABOUT WHERE WE ARE GOING AND IF IT CHECKS ALL THE BOXES FOR THE LONG CROSS COUNTRY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ MADE SUGGESTIONS WHILE I MADE EDITS TO THE FLIGHT WEEKS PRIOR TO THE START OF THE CRASH.