CHI04FA157

The airplane was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain in night instrument meteorological conditions. The non-instrument rated private pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight encountered a rapidly moving line of thunderstorms after takeoff and was attempting to return to the departure airport at the time of the accident. The pilot contacted Wichita Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) while in-flight, about 15 minutes prior to the accident. He reported his position as 4 miles north of the airport and intended to conduct a local flight. The AFSS briefer stated that an area of "pretty severe thunderstorms" were immediately to the west and estimated that the storms would be getting into the area within the next 5 minutes. The briefer added: "I would not recommend . . . flying around the . . . area at this time." The pilot replied that he was turning around and returning to the airport. The were no further communications with the accident pilot. There was no record of a pre-flight weather briefing being obtained by the pilot. A witness reported seeing an aircraft flying near her home about 10 minutes prior to the accident. She commented, "the wind started to come up and the dirt started blowing, then raining. I could not see across the field in front of my house." A second witness stated that about the time of the accident, he and his wife were at their residence watching a thunderstorm in progress. He reported that they heard a low flying aircraft approaching from the east. He noted that he looked out a window and saw a plane at a low altitude. He added that as the aircraft banked toward the northwest, a bolt of lightning struck near the house. The accident site was located the following morning in a field immediately north of his residence. Weather recorded at the departure airport about 5 minutes after the accident noted northwest winds gusting to 23 knots, 1/2 mile visibility with thunderstorms, broken clouds 200 feet above ground level (agl), and overcast clouds at 900 feet agl. A convective SIGMET was in effect for severe thunderstorms moving through the area, with storm tops exceeding 45,000 feet mean sea level, moving to the east at 30 knots. Weather radar data depicted a line of thunderstorms moving through the area. About 30 minutes prior to the accident the extreme east edge of the thunderstorm line arrived over the area. In the image recorded about 25 minutes after the accident, this area had passed over and was located approximately 15 miles to the east. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Civil Aero Medical Institute toxicology report stated that the pilot's blood alcohol level was 54 mg/dL (0.054 percent by weight). FAA regulations prohibited any person from acting as the pilot of a civil aircraft while under the influence of alcohol or while having a 0.04 or greater percent by weight of alcohol in their blood.

History of flight

On June 16, 2004, at 2330 central daylight time, a Piper PA-24-180, N6698P, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain about 3-1/2 miles southeast of Great Bend Municipal Airport (GBD), Great Bend, Kansas. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Night instrument meteorological conditions with convective activity prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and three passengers sustained fatal injuries. The local flight departed GBD about 2300.

While in-flight, at 2316, a pilot representing N6698P contacted the Wichita Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS). The briefer advised the pilot that severe thunderstorms were in the vicinity of GBD and that he would recommend returning to the airport. The briefer told the pilot that the storms were moving to the east at 25 knots and estimated that they would be passing GBD within approximately 5 minutes. The pilot responded that he was returning to the airport. There was no further contact between the accident aircraft and the AFSS. A transcript of these communications is included with the docket of this report.

A witness stated that she was standing on her front porch about 2320 watching the weather. She reported that she noticed a small airplane north of her home. She noted the airplane was initially traveling westbound, but it turned "straight south" as she watched it. As the airplane approached the road in front of her home, it turned and proceeded westbound again. She noted, "the wind started to come up and the dirt started blowing, then raining. I could not see across the field in front of my house."

A second witness stated that about 2330 he and his wife were at their residence watching a thunderstorm in progress. He reported that they heard a low flying aircraft approaching from the east. He noted that he looked out of a south-facing window and saw an airplane at a low altitude. He added that as the aircraft banked toward the northwest, a bolt of lightning struck near the house.

The accident site was found about 0730 the following morning by the second witness. The accident site was located in a field immediately north of his residence.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating issued by the Federal Aviation Administration. He was issued a third-class airman medical certificate on January 23, 2003. The medical certificate was issued without limitations.

The pilot reported a total flight time of 628 hours on his application for the medical certificate. He reported no flight time within the previous 6 months. His pilot logbook was not located.

Aircraft information

The accident airplane was a 1960 Piper PA-24-180 Comanche (serial number 24-1824). It was a four-place; low-wing aircraft of predominantly aluminum construction with a retractable tricycle landing gear configuration. A 180-horsepower Lycoming O-360-A1A engine (serial number L-4254-36) powered the airplane.

An annual inspection was completed on December 3, 2002, at a total airframe time of 4,213 hours. At the time of the inspection, the recording tachometer was noted as 1,368 hours. An altimeter and static system pressure check was completed in October 1996. An entry for a more recent static system check was not observed in the logbook.

The recording tachometer indicated 1,383.28 hours at the accident site.

Meteorological information

The Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS-3), located at GBD, recorded observations are listed below. The AWOS-3 unit did not have a precipitation sensor.

At 2315: Winds from 280 degrees at 19 knots, gusting to 23 knots; 10 miles visibility with thunderstorms; few clouds at 1,800 feet above ground level (agl), scattered clouds at 6,500 feet agl. The record also included the notes: lightning distant south, and thunderstorm began 1 minute after the hour.

At 2335: Winds from 320 degrees at 19 knots, gusting to 23 knots; 1/2 mile visibility with thunderstorms; broken clouds at 200 feet agl, overcast clouds at 900 feet agl. A note: Lightning distant all quadrants was also included.

A Convective Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) was issued at 2255 for an area of severe thunderstorms moving from 270 degrees at 30 knots. The SIGMET noted that cloud tops were above 45,000 feet mean sea level (msl). The region affected by the SIGMET was from 60 miles southwest of Wolbach, Nebraska; to 30 miles west of Enid, Oklahoma; to 30 miles west of Amarillo, Texas; to 10 miles northeast of Goodland, Kansas; to 60 miles southwest of Wolbach Nebraska. GBD was located along the east edge of this area. The SIGMET was valid until 0055.

A Severe Weather Forecast Alert was issued at 2005 for severe thunderstorms over Kansas in effect from 2005 on June 16, until 0100 on June 17. The associated Weather Watch warned of an area of severe thunderstorms 55 miles east and west of a line from 35 miles south-southeast of Hill City, Kansas, to 43 miles north of Gage, Oklahoma. The warning noted thunderstorm tops to 50,000 feet msl, hail to 1-1/2 inches in diameter, extreme turbulence and wind gusts to 70 knots. The storms were moving from 270 degrees at 35 knots.

The technical discussion issued with the Weather Watch indicated that a well-defined bow echo was moving eastward at 35 knots across southwest Kansas and was expected to continue for the next several hours. The system was capable of producing damaging winds and large hail through 0100. The advisory warned that the greatest threat of severe weather would be located at the bow echo.

Nexrad weather data recorded by the Wichita, Kansas, site depicted a line of thunderstorms moving through the GBD area about 2300. At 2154, the Nexrad image showed the eastern edge of the weather area approximately 45 miles west of GBD. At 2258, the extreme east edge of the area had arrived over GBD.

Maximum radar reflectivity in the vicinity of GBD reached 50 decibels and was color-coded orange and red on the image. In the Nexrad image recorded at 2355, this area had passed over and was located approximately 15 miles east of GBD. Nexrad plots are included in the docket material associated with this report.

Wreckage and impact information

The aircraft was located in a soybean field approximately 3-1/2 miles southeast of GBD. The initial impact point was in a harvested wheat field south of the bean field. The location of the main wreckage was 38 degrees 19 minutes 18 seconds north latitude, 098 degrees 47 minutes 22 seconds west longitude using a handheld global positioning system (GPS) receiver. The initial ground scar was located at 38 degrees 19 minutes 16 seconds north latitude, 098 degrees 47 minutes 27 seconds west longitude. This scar was approximately 8 feet long by 3 feet wide. Two additional ground scars were observed between the initial point and the main wreckage.

The main wreckage was located 490 feet from the initial impact point on a magnetic course of 060 degrees. The engine was dislodged from the airframe and came to rest 205 feet from the main wreckage. The total length of the impact and debris path was 693 feet.

A fan-shaped debris area began at the initial impact point and extended to the main wreckage. Components located in this area included the upper portion of the engine cowling, the propeller spinner, one propeller blade (separated from the engine), the aft baggage door, and the rear passenger seat. A triangular section of the engine crankcase approximately 3 inches by 3 inches was present in this area. Also present were the attitude indicator and directional gyro cases. They were deformed and empty. No internal components were present. The instrument gyros were not located.

The main wreckage was oriented on a 267-degree magnetic heading. The main wreckage consisted of the ai