# NTSB CEN11FA079: Piper PA-24-260, N8675P, Norfolk, NE, November 21, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: November 21, 2010 - Place: Norfolk, NE - Coordinates: 42.038333, -97.200279 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.0383&lon=-97.2003&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal - Status: Completed, report August 11, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Piper Aircraft Company, FAA FSDO, Lycoming Engines - NTSB case key (mKey): 77860 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN11FA079 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77860/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77860 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA079 ## Probable cause The pilot’s decision to continue the flight into instrumental meteorological conditions which resulted in a collision with a tree. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02040000): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02040000/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02040000/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip: low ceiling](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010/cases.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 190 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 392 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence.md) - [Enroute-cruise: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Piper PA-24-260, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=7102406), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The non-instrument rated pilot and passenger departed on a night cross-country flight. When the airplane did not show up at its destination, a search was initiated. The following evening, the airplane wreckage was located in an open field. A local resident near the accident site reported that she saw an airplane flying really low, at night. She added, that at the time she saw the airplane, the weather was misty and cold. Around the time the witness saw the airplane, the automated weather reporting station, located about 12.5 miles from the accident site, reported a cloud ceiling at 700 feet mean sea level. The airplane collided with the top of a tree, located along a tree line that crossed the airplane's flight path. A postaccident examination did not disclose any evidence of a pre-impact mechanical malfunction. The accident information is consistent with a non-instrument rated pilot trying to fly beneath the clouds at low altitude, at night, in marginal weather conditions. Due to the night and instrument meteorological conditions the pilot most likely would not have been able to see and avoid the tree; the impact and subsequent ground collision were consistent with a controlled flight into terrain event. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 21, 2010, at an undetermined time, a single-engine Piper PA-24-260, Comanche airplane, N8675P, impacted terrain near Norfolk, Nebraska. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by Four Wins LLC., Omaha, Nebraska. No flight plan had been filed for the night cross-country flight that reportedly originated from the Chamberlain Municipal airport (9V9), Chamberlain, South Dakota, about 1700, and was destined for the Millard airport (MLE), Omaha, Nebraska. The airplane was reported overdue, and an ALNOT (alert notification) for the aircraft was issued. A search was conducted and the airplane wreckage was located about 1600, on November 22, 2010 in an open field. There were no reported witnesses to the accident; however, an individual located a few miles from the accident site, reported that on the evening of 21 November, she saw an airplane "flying really low" at night time, before disappearing out of sight. She also added that the time was between 1830 and 1930 and the weather was misty and cold. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a private pilot certificate for airplane, single-engine land. There was no record of him holding an instrument rating. The pilot was issued a third class FAA medical, on August 11, 2010. A review of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had accumulated approximately 780 total flight hours, with about 90 hours in the accident airplane. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The airplane was a 1965 model Piper PA-24-260, Comanche, which was a single-engine, low-wing airplane, with retractable tricycle landing gear. The airplane was powered by a Lycoming IO-540 reciprocating engine, rated at 260 horsepower. The engine drove a McCauley 2-blade constant speed propeller. A review of the airplane's maintenance logbooks revealed the last annual inspection was completed on May 6, 2010 with an airframe total time of about 6,223 hours. At the time of the annual inspection, the airplane's engine had accumulated approximately 1,503.3 hours since overhaul. On October 7, 2010 the airplane's vacuum pump was replaced at a tachometer time of 3230.5 hours. METEOROLOGICAL The automated weather station at Norfolk Regional Airport/Karl Stefan Memorial Field (KOFK), North Fork, Nebraska, located about 12.5 miles southwest of the accident site reported at 1856, winds from 360 degrees at 7 knots, temperature 28 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 25 degrees Fahrenheit, visibility 10 miles, an overcast ceiling at 900 feet with a variable ceiling of 800 to 1300 feet, altimeter pressure setting 29.86 inches of Mercury. At 1956, the automated station (KOFK) reported, winds from 330 degrees at 5 knots, temperature 28 degrees Fahrenheit, dew point 25 degrees Fahrenheit, visibility 10 miles, an overcast ceiling at 700 feet, altimeter pressure setting 29.87 inches of Mercury. COMMUNICATIONS The pilot was not in contact with an Air Traffic Controlfacility, nor was there any reported emergency or distress calls from the pilot. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION An on-site examination was conducted by the NTSB, FAA, and a technical representative from the Piper Aircraft Company. The airplane came to rest on the fuselage's belly, in an open, rolling field. The initial impact point appeared to be a tree positioned among a tree line that bordered the field on two sides. The tree line was located across the airplane's flight path. Additionally, the impact marks left on the tree were nearly parallel to the ground, consistent with the airplane being in a level attitude at the time of impact. From the initial impact point with the tree line, to the main wreckage, the wreckage path continued on a 140 degree heading, for approximately 800 feet. The initial impact point with terrain, contained several ground cuts that appeared consistent with propeller strikes. Located near the ground impact point was about a 4 foot outboard section of the right wing; the right aileron was also found near the section. Numerous pieces of the airplane and personnel effects were spread along wreckage path. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, both wings, engine, and the empennage. The fuselage was nearly separated into two sections just aft of the cabin area; the front section of the fuselage, at the instrument panel, was twisted about 180 degrees. All of the instruments and engine gauges appeared to have received some impact damage. The altimeter was set with the barometric setting of 29.81, and the flight hour meter read 3,507.9 hours. The landing gear switch was in the up (retracted) position. The fuel selector was on the right main fuel tank. There was no post-impact fire. The right wing was nearly separated from the fuselage near the wing root. Fuel was visible from the filler neck of the right wing auxiliary fuel tank; the right main landing gear was found in the gear well. The left wing had a slight twist in the outboard section of the wing, and less damage when compared to the right wing. When viewed from the fuel filler neck, the left wing's auxiliary fuel tank also had visible fuel present. The left main gear was in the extended (down) position. Cable continuity was confirmed from the "T" column to the stabilizer. Aileron cable continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to the left and right aileron bellcrank locations. The flap actuators were found in the up position. The elevator pitch trim was in the neutral position. The 2-bladed propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft propeller flange. Starting about mid-span, the first blade was bent toward the non-cambered side, to about a 90 degree angle. Blade two exhibited a similar bend to the first blade and the entire blade was twisted inside the prop hub. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION The Douglas County Morgue, Stanton, Nebraska, conducted an autopsy on the pilot on November 24, 2010. The cause of death was determined to be"blunt trauma ... with multiple injuries" The FAA Toxicology Accident Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted toxicological testing. The pilot tested negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol; Ibuprofen was detected in the urine. TEST AND RESEARCH The aircraft wreckage was retrieved to a salvage yard, where the NTSB along with a technical representative from Lycoming examined the engine. Continuity was established from the propeller flange to the rear gear drive section of the engine. The engine rotated without hesitation or binding, and a borescope of the cylinders did not reveal any abnormalities. Both magnetos rotated freely and produced spark at each terminal. The top sparkplugs were removed and examined. When compared to the Champion check-a-plug chart, the top spark plugs exhibited "normal to worn-out normal" operation. The vacuum pump remained attached to the engine. The vacuum pump drive shaft rotated freely by hand and movement of the vanes could be heard. The examination of the engine did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8675P](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8675P-2011-03-01), registration cancelled 2011-03-01, S/N 24-4123, built 1965 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-24-260 - Registry model: [Piper PA-24-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-24-260) (registry code 7102406) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 24-4123 - Airframe hours: 6223 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Four Wins LLC - Registered owner: Four Wins LLC - Last inspection: Annual, May 6, 2010 - Departed: 9V9, Chamberlain, SD - Destination: MLE, Omaha, NE ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; toxicology performed; flight hours: 730 total, 70 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 350° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 900 ft overcast - Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 25 °F - Altimeter: 29.87 inHg - Observed at: KOFK ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20101121051859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101121051859A), Nov 21, 2010: Piper PA-24-260, Norfolk, NE, Destroyed, 2 fatal. On November 21, 2010, at approx. 1630 central standard time, the airman (not IFR rated) contacted the flight service station to obtain a weather briefing. This… ## Docket (15 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 16, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77860. 5.2 MB in all. - Witness Statement (item 1, .PDF, 39 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348790&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Photo: Map of Accident Area (item 2, .PDF, 232 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348795&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Map%20of%20Accident%20Area-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 49 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348797&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports; section of pilot log (item 4, .PDF, 900 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348802&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports;%20section%20of%20pilot%20log-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports: section of engine logs (item 5, .PDF, 272 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348803&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports%3A%20section%20of%20engine%20logs-Redacted.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports: section of airframe log (item 6, .PDF, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348805&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports%3A%20section%20of%20airframe%20log-Redacted.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 7, .PDF, 118 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348806&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 8, .PDF, 955 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348809&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 9, .PDF, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349123&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Photo: Accident airplane (item 10, .PDF, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348813&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Accident%20airplane-Master.PDF - Photo: Accident airplane in field (item 11, .PDF, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348814&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Accident%20airplane%20in%20field-Master.PDF - Photo: Engine and propeller (Piper photo) (item 12, .PDF, 122 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348818&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Engine%20and%20propeller%20%20(Piper%20photo)-Master.PDF - Photo: First impact point (item 13, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348815&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20First%20impact%20point-Master.PDF - Photo: Wreckage path, looking back at tree (item 14, .PDF, 107 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40348816&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Wreckage%20path,%20looking%20back%20at%20tree-Master.PDF - Photo: Wreckage path; direction of travel (item 15, .PDF, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40349124&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%3A%20Wreckage%20path;%20direction%20of%20travel-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.