CHI02FA094

The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and fire, when it impacted the ground about 3.7 miles from the destination airport. The airplane had been cleared for an ILS approach to the airport. No anomalies were found during the on-scene examination of the airframe, engine or gyroscopic flight instruments that could be associated with a pre-existing condition. The minimum descent altitude for the approach is 243 feet above ground level. The inbound course for the instrument approach is 298 degrees magnetic. The radar data shows that the airplane headed in a northerly direction prior to commencing a left turn onto the inbound course of the instrument approach. The last radar return, was received prior to the airplane reaching the locator outer marker for the approach. Altitude returns show the airplane descending from a pressure altitude of 4,000 feet to a pressure altitude of 2,800 feet. The 2,800-foot return was the final return received. The wreckage path was distributed on a magnetic heading of approximately 145 degrees. The weather reporting station located at the destination airport recorded a 100 foot overcast ceiling with 1 statute mile of visibility about 20 minutes prior to the accident. The current weather was available to the pilot via the Automated Weather Observing System at the destination airport. No communications were received from the airplane after controllers authorized the pilot to change to the destination airport's advisory frequency.

History of flight

On March 17, 2002, at 2306 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-31P, N125TT, piloted by a commercial pilot, was destroyed by impact forces and fire, when it impacted the ground about 3.7 nautical miles and 105 degrees magnetic from the Anderson Municipal/Darlington Field Airport (AID), Anderson, Indiana. The airplane had been cleared for the ILS runway 30 approach to AID. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan in instrument meteorological conditions. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from the Callaway Airport, LaGrange, Georgia at 2056, and was en route to AID.

Personnel information

The pilot, age 52, held a commercial pilot certificate, issued on February 24, 2002, with single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. The pilot also held a second-class medical certificate that was issued on September 11, 2001. The limitations section of the medical certificate stated, "Holder must wear corrective lenses."

According to a pilot logbook found at the accident site, the pilot had accumulated the following flight experience:

Total flight experience: 1011.2 hours

Pilot in command: 927.4 hours

Dual received: 144.3 hours

Second in command: 84.1 hours

Airplane multiengine land: 680.7 hours

Airplane single-engine land: 320.9 hours

Simulated instrument: 62.3 hours

Actual instrument: 193.8 hours

Night: 256.7 hours

Cross-country: 796.1 hours

The recovered logbook shows that the pilot had performed 6 precision instrument approaches, 3 non-precision instrument approaches, and had accumulated 12.5 hours of instrument flight time in actual instrument conditions between February 06, 2002, and March 07, 2002. The first recorded entry in the logbook was dated January 28, 2002. The last recorded logbook entry was dated March 07, 2002. Pilot flight records prior to January 28, 2002 were not recovered.

Aircraft information

The airplane was a twin-engine 1974 Piper PA-31P, serial number 31P-7400187. Two geared Lycoming TIGO-541-E1A engines powered the airplane. Each engine was rated for 425 horsepower.

According to maintenance records, the airplane received its most recent annual inspection on May 04, 2001. The logbook entry indicated that, on the date of the annual inspection, the airplane had accumulated 3960.4 hours time in service at a recording hour meter reading of 245.6 hours.

According to a maintenance record entry dated June 11, 1999, the left engine, serial number RL-554-62, had accumulated 1,070.7 hours since overhaul. The recording hour meter reading was 0.0 hours as of the date of this inspection. The records show that the engine was inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on May 04, 2001, at an hour meter reading of 245.6 hours. The most recent maintenance entry for the left engine was dated November 05, 2001, and the hour meter reading was recorded to be 278.1 hours.

According to a maintenance record entry dated June 11, 1999, the right engine, serial number RL-508-62, had accumulated 32.56 hours since overhaul. The records show that the engine was inspected in accordance with an annual inspection on May 04, 2001, at an hour meter reading of 245.6 hours. The most recent maintenance entry for the right engine was dated January 31, 2002, and the hour meter reading was recorded to be 281.1 hours.

The recording hour meter was severely damaged and the core of the hour meter read 276.8 hours when the airplane was examined after removal from the accident site.

Meteorological information

The destination airport is served by an Automated Weather Observing System that allows pilots to obtain current weather while in-flight. The Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) for AID listed the weather at 2145 as:

Wind direction: 190 degrees

Wind speed: 7 knots

Visibility: 1 3/4 statute mile with mist

Sky condition: 300 feet overcast

Temperature: 6 degrees Celsius

Dewpoint: 5 degrees Celsius

Altimeter setting: 30.02 inches of mercury.

The METAR for AID listed the weather at 2245 as:

Wind direction: 190 degrees

Wind speed: 6 knots

Visibility: 1 statute mile with mist

Sky condition: 100 feet overcast

Temperature: 6 degrees Celsius

Dewpoint: 5 degrees Celsius

Altimeter setting: 30.00 inches of mercury.

The METAR for AID listed the weather at 2345 as:

Wind direction: 210 degrees

Wind speed: 6 knots

Visibility: 1 statute mile with mist

Sky condition: 100 feet overcast

Temperature: 6 degrees Celsius

Dewpoint: 5 degrees Celsius

Altimeter setting: 30.02 inches of mercury.

Aids to navigation

AID is served by an instrument landing system (ILS) approach procedure for runway 30. The ILS approach provides both lateral and vertical guidance for alignment for landing. The inbound magnetic heading for the approach is listed as 298 degrees. The instrument procedure lists a decision height altitude of 1,162 feet above sea level (MSL). The airport elevation is 919 feet. The missed approach procedure is listed as; "Climb to 2000 then climbing right turn to 2700 direct VIDEO LOM/Int and hold." VIDEO is depicted on the approach procedure as the locator outer marker. The approach procedure shows that VIDEO is located 4.9 nautical miles and 118 degrees from the runway threshold. The initial impact point is about 1.9 nautical miles and 325 degrees from VIDEO.

Communications

The aircraft was in communication with the Indianapolis air route traffic control center (ARTCC). The following excerpts are from transcripts of the recorded conversations between the Indianapolis ARTCC and N125TT. The agencies making transmissions are: N125TT (N125TT); Indianapolis ARTCC Nabb Sector Radar Position (ABB R); Indianapolis Approach (IND); Indianapolis ATRCC Shelbyville Sector Radar Position (SHB R); Indianapolis ATRCC Shelbyville Sector Radar Position Relieving Controller (SHB R/R); Dayton Automated Flight Service Station (DAY). The full transcripts are contained in the public docket of this accident report.

2217:24 N125TT indy center good evening navajo one two five tango tango checkin on one four fourteen thousand

2217:29 ABB R one two five tango tango indy center roger louisville altimeter three zero zero six

2217:35 N125TT double oh six thanks

2220:30 N125TT and indy navajo one two five tango tango request

2220:35 ABB R ah one tango tango say again

2220:37 N125TT yeah we just got the weather there fir indianapolis it doesn't look too good for ah approaches what's anderson doing can you get the weather for me

2220:44 ABB R ah let me see what i can find standby

2221:05 ABB R ah november five tango tango anderson ah zero two four five observation ah winds one niner zero at nine knots ah visibility one mile---ah---ah broken overcast three hundred---um---and ah---altimeter is three zero zero one there

2221:24 N125TT any better weather anyplace else uh---you guys are half a mile

and---and ah hundred feet that isn't gonna work

2222:23 ABB R ah november five tango tango ah---well louisville is uh--- visibility five miles with light rain broken ah sixty five hundred---ah overcast eight thousand five hundred

2222:40 N125TT well---i suppose we could make a try at anderson and see what happens and then come back to louisville i guess i got plenty of fuel

2222:48 ABB R yeah it looks like it's as far south as bloomington from what i'm looking at but the different weather here ah bloomington is a quarter mile with fog also

2223:03 N125TT well is it gettin worse or is it gonna get better cause it's not gonna get any better then i might as