ATL02FA091

The pilot departed on a VFR flight from Selkirk, New York, to an undisclosed destination. No flight plan was filed or did the pilot receive a weather briefing. Review of radar data and a refueling slip revealed the pilot landed in Greenville, North Carolina, and refueled. The pilot did not established any radio communication with the AirTraffic Control System along his route of flight. A review of weather data revealed that the pilot encountered instrument flight conditions over eastern North Carolina. The airplane was last observed on radar at 18:05:54, at 4,400 feet. Examination of the airplane at the crash site revealed a failure of the right wing due to overstress separation. Toxicology results from the pilot were positive for marijuana.

History of flight

On April 27, 2002, at about 1406 eastern daylight time, a Beech BE-35, N2152D, registered to a private owner, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced an in-flight break up near Warsaw, North Carolina. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. No flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The commercial pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane departed Greenville, North Carolina, at 1231.

According to data extracted from a Garmin GPS III Pilot handheld unit, recovered from the wreckage, the flight initially departed Selkirk, New York at 0820, landed in Greenville, North Carolina, at 1202, and departed Greenville, North Carolina, at 1231. According to recovered radar data, at 1405:44, the flight was observed in a right turn at 9000 feet. At 1405:54, the flight was last observed on radar at 4,400 feet. At 1405 the Garmin GPS III Pilot confirmed that the flight was in a very tight right turn at its' last data extraction. The pilot did not establish radio contact with the air traffic control system.

According to two witnesses near the accident site stated that while working in a flowerbed they heard an airplane. A short time later, they twice heard a noise that sounded like thunder. When they heard the noise the second time, they also heard what sounded like an engine sputtering. They looked up to see the airplane but it was initially blocked from view by dark clouds. They ran to the other side of the house where they heard the engine cutting in and out. One witness stated that she saw the airplane blown up and saw it tumbling. The witness observed both wings attached to the airplane, as the airplane started spiraling towards the ground and disappeared from view behind trees.

Personnel information

Review of information on file with the FAA Airman's Certification Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, revealed the pilot was issued a commercial pilot certificate on March 22, 2000, with ratings for airplane single engine land and sea, and instrument airplane. The pilot held a second-class medical certificate issued on October 16, 2000, with the limitation, "holder shall wear lenses that correct for distant vision and possess glasses that correct for near vision while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate." In addition, the pilot was issued a statement of demonstrated ability on July 3, 1989 for defective distant vision poorer than 20/200 corrected to 20/20 bilaterally. The pilot indicated on his application for the FAA second-class medical certificate that he had accumulated 1,290 hours. The pilot's logbook was not recovered for examination.

Aircraft information

The aircraft maintenance logbooks were not recovered for examination. An airframe and power plant mechanic in Ballston, New York stated that the pilot had rented a hangar at the South Albany Airport for a week, and an annual inspection was started on October 14, 2001. The annual inspection was not signed off due to discrepancies that needed to be completed.

Meteorological information

The nearest weather reporting facility at the time of the accident was Duplin County Airport, Kenansville, North Carolina, and 8.9 nautical miles southeast of the crash site. The 1401 surface weather observation was: wind 140-degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, ceiling 1,700 broken, 2,400 broken, 5,000 overcast, temperature 64 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point temperature 62 degrees Fahrenheit, and altimeter 30.26.

The National Weather Service Weather Depiction Chart issued for 1500 on April 27, 2002, depicted visual flight rule weather conditions over the northeast from New York southward to the mid-Atlantic coast over North Carolina. Over eastern North Carolina, South Carolina, and across Georgia and northern Florida an area of marginal visual flight rule weather conditions were depicted. The Wilmington, North Carolina station model, which reported instrument Flight Rules weather conditions, with visibility 3/4 mile in moderate rain and an overcast ceiling at 1,300 feet.

The 1353 base reflectivity image depicts a band of level 1 to level 2 intensity thunderstorms extending east through south of the accident site. Another short band of thunderstorms extends southwest through west of the accident site. The 1433 base reflectivity image depicts the line of thunderstorm activity over the accident site.

Wreckage and impact information

The wreckage was located in heavily wooded areas near Jim Sauls Road, Warsaw, North Carolina. The crash debris extended about 1/2 mile long on a heading of 149-degrees magnetic. The left stabilizer was located to the right of the crash debris line and the ruddervator was not attached. A segment of the ruddervator was located to the left of the crash debris line. The upper and lower surface of the right wing and flap assembly was located to the right of the crash debris line. The right wing was located to the right of the crash debris line. The right main landing gear separated from the wreckage and was located to the right of the crash debris line in a local residence back yard. The main cabin area and left wing came to rest on a heading of 220-degrees magnetic.

Examination of the wreckage revealed the airplane was resting on its right side. The engine assembly and accessories were imbedded in the ground on its right. The propeller assembly was attached to the propeller flange. The spinner exhibited evidence of rotation and crushing. One propeller blade was bent aft 10-inches outboard of the propeller hub and curled aft 110-degrees with a slight twist. The leading edge of the propeller blade had circular indentations 11-inches inboard of the propeller tip. The remaining propeller blade has evidence of a slight "s" bending at the tip of the propeller blade.

The nose wheel was in the retracted position. The cabin was compressed inward on the right side of the fuselage extending aft from the firewall rearward to the rear cabin bulkhead. The cabin structure is twisted to the right. The right wing separated at the wing root. The inboard 17-inches of the right wing was buckled upward about 10-inches. The outboard wing was bent upward 90-degrees with a diagonal crease extending from the leading edge of the wing aft to the main front wing spar. The upper and lower skin of the right wing separated at the front main spar extending from the wing root outboard 87 inches with the right flap assembly. No paint transfer was noted on the upper or lower wing surface. The right main fuel tank was ruptured. The flaps were not extended. The lower wing attachment fitting separated at the attachment bolt holes. The upper wing attachment fitting separated at the attachment bolt holes. The aft fuselage was bent to the right and inward laterally.

The bottom of the fuselage was compressed upward towards the upper aft fuselage skin. The bottom of the aft fuselage is separated at the outboard longitudinal rivet line about five feet long. The aft fuselage rested against a 10-inch diameter tree. The left side of the aft fuselage rivet line separated from the top of the fuselage centerline in a downward direction.

The routing holes for the elevator trim were abraded in the upper aft corner. The left and right stabilizers and ruddervators separated from the fuselage. The right stabilizer and one ruddervator were not located. Both ruddervator bell cranks were present at the main wreckage crash site.

The left wing was accelerated forward and separated at the aft spar. The leading edge of the left wing sustained minor damage. The lower surface of the left wing exhibited evidence of downward bending. Diagonal wrinkling was present from the trailing edge of the left flap starting 22-inches outboard from the trailing edge of the flap extending forward and outboard 76-inches laterally. The left main landing gear was retracted. The aileron and flaps were at