CHI05FA260

The airplane impacted terrain while maneuvering to land at night. The pilot had recently resumed flying after a long period of not flying. In March 1990, the pilot reported his total flight time was 150 hours. In June 2005, the pilot reported his total flight time was 150 hours and that he had not flown within the previous six months. The pilot's flight logbook indicated that his total night flight experience was about 17 hours. The pilot's flight logbook also indicated that he had not flown at night in over 15 years. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The ground visibility was 6 statute miles due to moderate haze. The accident occurred after civil twilight with 41-percent of the moon's visible disk illuminated. The airplane impacted about 1/3 nm south of the runway 9 threshold. The airplane impacted left wing low into a flat, cultivated soybean field. The airplane subsequently exploded and a ground fire ensued. The wreckage debris path was over 160 feet long. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the airframe, engine, or propeller that could be associated with a preexisting condition that would have prevented normal operation. Airport personnel verified after the accident that the runway 9/27 runway lighting systems were operational.

History of flight

On September 10, 2005, at 2100 eastern standard time (est), a Piper PA-32-300 (Cherokee Six), N4032R, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with the terrain and subsequent ground explosion/fire while maneuvering to land at Wabash Municipal Airport (IWH), Wabash, Indiana. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 flight was operating without a flight plan. The pilot and his three passengers were fatally injured. The personal flight was reported to have departed Fulton County Airport (RCR), Rochester, Indiana, at approximately 2040.

The pilot reportedly had flown from IWH to RCR for dinner earlier in the evening, according to the pilot's daughter and an acquaintance of the pilot.

Aircraft radar track data was obtained from Fort Wayne Approach Control. The first radar return associated with the accident airplane was recorded at 2046:25 (hhmm:ss) and was 5.0 nm east-southeast of RCR. The track continued to the southeast at altitudes between 2,200 and 2,400 feet mean sea level (msl). Between 2054:38 and 2057:47, the airplane descended from 2,100 to 1,400 feet while approaching IWH from the north-northwest. At 2057:47, radar coverage was lost with the airplane at 1,400 feet msl about 1.7 nm northwest of the airport. The radar facility's lower altitude limitation over IWH was about 1,200 feet msl. At 2100:14, the radar facility reestablished radar coverage with the accident airplane approximately 1.6 nm east of the airport. The airplane completed a 90 degree turn from a heading of north to the west, consistent with a return to the airport area. At 2100:37, the last radar return was recorded at 1,200 feet msl about 1.0 nm east-northeast of the airport.

A witness to the accident reported that the airplane over flew the airport and circled toward the south, continuing to the west, then north before she lost sight of the airplane. The witness stated that the engine sounded "like the throttle was turned down to an idle." The witness reported that she heard the crash, followed by two explosions, and then saw a fire north of her position.

Another witness reported that he saw an airplane "coming in for what we thought was a landing." The witness stated that the airplane "circled out of sight" and then he heard the engine "sputter then revup really high, we thought a plane was going to take off, so we stopped to watch the plane." The witness reported hearing the crash, followed by seeing an explosion.

The main wreckage was found in a soybean field approximately 1/3 nm south of the runway 9 threshold.

Personnel information

According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. The pilot was not instrument rated. FAA records show the pilot's last medical examination was completed on June 23, 2005, when he was issued a third-class medical certificate with the limitation "must have available glasses for near vision."

A majority of the pilot's flight logbook was consumed during the post-impact fire. The recoverable portions of the logbook were reviewed and any identifiable flight times were transposed into an exemplar logbook copy. The logbook date entries were completely destroyed by fire and FAA airmen and medical records were used to develop a general timeline for the logbook entries.

On May 15, 1987, the pilot was issued his first medical certificate while completing his initial pilot training. The medical application indicated that he had a total flight time of 10 hours, all of which were accumulated within the previous 6 months.

On October 13, 1987, the pilot was issued his private pilot certificate after successfully completing a FAA check ride. The pilot had a total flight time of 50 hours, which included 24 hours as pilot-in-command (PIC), 3 hours of night experience, and 2 hours of simulated instrument time.

The pilot's last logged night flight was included on a logbook page that listed his total PIC time as 112 hours. The pilot's calculated total flight time was 138 hours. The pilot had accumulated 17 hours of night experience, as indicated on the logbook page. The remaining logbook pages did not contain any additional night flight time.

On March 22, 1990, the pilot was issued his second medical certificate. The medical application indicated that he had a total flight time of 150 hours, of which 20 hours were accumulated within the previous 6 months.

On June 14, 2005, the pilot purchased the accident airplane. Between June 18 and July 11, 2005, the pilot received 7 hours of dual instruction during 6 flights. According to the flight instructor who provided the instruction, all of the flights were completed during daylight hours. On July 11, 2005, the pilot sucessfully completed a biennial flight review, as required by regulation 14 CFR Part 61.56.

On June 23, 2005, the pilot was issued his third and final medical certificate. The medical application indicated that he had a total flight time of 150 hours and that he had not flown within the previous 6 months.

On July 9, 2005, the pilot applied for an aviation insurance policy for the recently purchased airplane. The initial phone questionnaire indicated that his total flight time was 155 hours. The pilot completed the finalized insurance application package on July 29, 2005.

Aircraft information

The accident airplane was a 1967 Piper PA-32-300, Cherokee Six, serial number 32-40328. The Cherokee Six is an all-metal airplane that incorporates a semimonocoque fuselage and empennage design. The airplane is equipped with fully cantilevered wings, wing flaps, a constant speed propeller, and a fixed tricycle landing gear. The airplane is configured to seat six occupants and has a certified maximum takeoff weight of 3,400 lbs.

The accident airplane was issued a standard airworthiness certificate on September 29, 1967. A review of the maintenance records showed that the airplane had undergone an annual inspection on September 10, 2004. The airplane had accumulated 7,089 hours total time in service at the time of the annual inspection. The last maintenance logbook entry was for an engine oil change completed on June 9, 2005. The airplane had accumulated 7,136 hours total time in service at the time of the oil change. The airplane's recording tachometer was destroyed by fire, which prevented the calculation of a total service time at the time of the accident.

The airplane was equipped with a 300 horsepower Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 engine, serial number L-13748-48A. The IO-540-K1A5 engine is a six-cylinder, 540 cubic-inch displacement, fuel injected, reciprocating engine. The engine was overhauled on April 12, 2001. The engine had accumulated 384 hours since major overhaul at the time of the last annual inspection. The propeller was a two bladed Hartzell HC-C2YK-1BF, serial number CH34858B. The propeller had accumulated 384 hours since overhaul at the time of the last annual inspection.

Meteorological information

The closest weather reporting station to the accident site was located at the Grissom Air Reserve Base (GUS), Peru, Indiana, about 18 nm southwest of the accident site. The following weather conditions were reported five minutes before the accident:

At 2055 est: Wind 130 degrees true at 3 knots; visibility 6 sm with haze; sky clear; temperature 23 degrees Celsius; dew point 17 degrees Celsius; altimeter setting 30.17 inches of mercury.

The sunset occurred at 1900 est and the end of civil twilight was at 1928 est, according to astronomical data provided by the U.S. Naval Observatory. The accident occurred at night with 41-percent of the moon's visible disk illuminated. The moonrise was at 1332 est, the moon reached its apex at 1801 est, and the moonset was at 2226 est.

Airport information

The Wab