CEN24FA295

The non-instrument-rated pilot departed from an airport where visual meteorological weather conditions prevailed. As the flight progressed, the visibility and ceilings decreased. Flight track data showed that, during the flight, the airplane began a steady descent that continued to the end of the data. The airplane struck trees and terrain, and a postimpact fire ensued which destroyed the airplane. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The individual who found the accident site reported that he was driving on the adjacent road and saw the glow of a fire through dense fog, which led him to discover the accident site. The destination airport, about 13 nautical miles (nm) from the accident site, reported instrument flight rules weather conditions for several hours before the airplane’s departure. There was no evidence that the pilot obtained a weather briefing before the flight, and weather sources that he may have accessed before the flight were not known. The pilot had coronary artery disease that was associated with increased risk of an impairing or incapacitating cardiovascular event, such as chest pain, arrhythmia, or heart attack. There was no autopsy evidence that such an event occurred, although such an event cannot be excluded by autopsy evidence alone. Based on the available evidence, it is most likely that the pilot continued flight into deteriorating weather conditions, and due to the low visibility, was unable to detect a descent and remain clear of trees and terrain. The damage to the airplane and witness marks at the accident site are consistent with controlled flight into trees and terrain.

According to aircraft documents obtained from the FAA, on May 9, 2024, the airplane’s vacuum system and all vacuum operated instrumentation were removed from the airplane and two Garmin G5 electronic flight instruments were installed per supplemental type certificate number STC SA01818W. One G5 instrument was installed in the attitude position and the second was installed in the horizonal situation indicator (HIS) position. At the same time, the airplane’s standard engine instrumentation was removed and a JPI EDM-930 engine monitor installed under STC SA01435SE. The records also indicated that the airplane had a Gamin GNS530W, and a Garmin GNS 430 installed among other avionics. The postimpact fire consumed the cabin section of the airplane, including the instrument panel, which precluded functional testing of any of the flight instrumentation. On July 31, 2024, about 0720 central daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180 airplane, N903US, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Irene, South Dakota. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. No flight plan had been filed, and the pilot was not in contact with air traffic control during the flight. According to a maintenance facility, the pilot was flying the airplane from Joe Foss Field Airport (FSD), Sioux Falls, South Dakota, to Chan Gurney Municipal Airport (YKN), Yankton, South Dakota, to have maintenance performed. ADS-B data showed that the airplane departed FSD at 0701 and proceeded on a predominantly southwest heading at 3,700 ft mean sea level (msl). At 0718, the airplane entered a descent that continued until the last recorded data point at 0720:52. During the final minute of recorded data, the airplane flight track made a descending left turn to the south followed by a descending right turn when the data ended. The final data point was about 400 ft east of the airplane’s final resting point (see figure 1). An individual driving in the area reported that as he drove on the adjacent road, he saw the glow of a fire through dense fog, which led him to discover the accident site. Figure 1. 3D representation of the final portion of the accident flight. An autopsy of the pilot was conducted by the Clinical Laboratory of the Black Hills, Rapid City, South Dakota. The cause of death was listed as blunt trauma injuries. The autopsy report described the heart as large, and identified diffusely calcified coronary arteries that were narrowed up to 80% by plaque. The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicological testing of postmortem specimens from the pilot. Atorvastatin, a prescription medication which is used to help control cholesterol and reduce cardiovascular risk, was detected. Atorvastatin is not typically impairing and was a medication reported by the pilot at his last aviation medical examination in 2023. The nearest aviation weather reporting facility to the accident site was the destinationairport, YKN, located about 13 nautical miles and 210° from the accident site. Weather reports at YKN on the morning of the accident included the following information: At 0413, 1 statute mile (sm) visibility with mist, clear skies. At 0416, 1/4 sm visibility with fog, clear skies. At 0438, 3/4 sm visibility with mist, clear skies. At 0442, 2 sm visibility with mist, clear skies. At 0456, 3 sm visibility with mist, clear skies. At 0518, 2-1/2 sm visibility with mist, few clouds at 900 ft above ground level (agl). At 0556, 2-1/2 sm visibility with mist, clear skies. At 0603, 2 sm visibility with mist, few clouds at 200 ft agl. At 0615, 2 sm visibility with mist, broken clouds at 200 ft, broken clouds at 700 ft agl. At 0623, 1-1/2 sm visibility with mist, broken clouds at 200 ft agl, broken clouds at 700 ft agl. At 0656, 1-1/2 sm visibility with mist, broken clouds at 200 ft agl, overcast clouds at 1,800 ft agl. At 0716, 1/4 sm visibility with fog, broken clouds at 200 ft agl, overcast clouds at 1,900 ft agl. The next closest aviation weather reporting facility was at the departure airport (FSD), about 37 nautical miles and 034° from the accident site. About the time of the accident, FSD was reporting 10 sm visibility, with few clouds at 600 ft agl and few clouds at 25,000 ft agl. At the time of the accident there was a Graphical Airmen's Meteorological Information (G-AIRMET) issued for instrument flight conditions just west of the accident site and YKN. The G-AIRMET was issued at 0632, about 30 minutes before the airplane’s departure from FSD. Weather satellite imagery depicted an area of fog over YKN and the accident site about the time of the accident. The individual who found the accident site reported dense fog. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for single-engine land airplanes and he did not hold an instrument rating. His pilot flight logbook indicated that he had accumulated 280.8 hours total flight experience, including 124.7 hours as pilot in command, 6.4 hours of simulated instrument flight experience, and 4.5 hours of actual instrument flight experience. His most recent flight review was conducted on January 17, 2023. The airplane came to rest in an agricultural field on a south heading (see figure 2). A postimpact fire ensued and consumed the cockpit and most of the forward fuselage. The main wreckage was about 100 ft west of a north-south gravel road, and broken tree limbs were found to the east that bordered the road. All structural components and flight control surfaces were located along the wreckage debris path or amongst the main wreckage. Figure 2. View of main wreckage at the accident site. The left wing remained intact and attached to the fuselage and had extensive fire damage to the inboard end. The left flap and aileron remained connected to their respective attach points on the wing. The right wing was separated from the fuselage and found next to it, with the outboard end displaced rearward. About 4ft of the outboard right wing was separated and found on the opposite side of the road near a tree line. The separated portion of wing had a semi-circular dent in the leading edge consistent with a tree strike (see figure 4). There were small pieces of tree limb fragments within the leading edge skin of the wing. The right flap remained attached to the larger inboard portion of the right wing. The aileron remained partially attached to the larger portion of the right wing. The flaps were found in the retracted position. Figure 3. Airplane at wreckage site looking back toward the airplane’s direction of travel, showing the adjacent road and tree line . Figure 4. Outboard section of right wing found adjacent to the road with evidence of tree impact. The fuselage exhibited extensive fire damage with most of the cabin structure consumed by the postimpact fire. The firewall exhibited rearward crushing. The aft fuselage was partially intact with thermal damage. The empennage remained attached to the fuselage, including all of the control surfaces. The vertical tail, rudder, and left horizontal stabilator had no damage except that from the postimpact fire. The right side of the horizontal stabilator had extensive thermal damage and appeared to be bent downward at the leading edge. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the engine that would have precluded normal operation. The propeller exhibited chordwise scaring, S-shape bending, and leading-edge gouging, all consistent with power production at the time of impact. Flight control continuity was established to the extent possible with the condition of the wreckage. All flight control cables remained attached from their respective control surfaces to the cockpit except for a single break in the aileron drive control system. The control chain was broken about 3 inches from its attachment to the cable near the control column. The break was consistent with overload damage.