CHI98FA086

The pilot departed on a night cross country flight at 2230 cst. The airplane did not arrive at its planned destination at 2330 cst according to the wife of the passenger. The wreckage was found about 4-miles northeast of an airport that had been reporting IFR conditions during the time period the airplane was en route and after its planned arrival. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies that would prevent flight. The pilot's toxicology report showed about 26-percent carbon monoxide in his blood. The ends of the airplane's muffler were corroded and had many pinhole-sized holes along its edges. Its shroud had baked oil on its inside surface. The muffler had rust on both sides of its body. The airplane had flown about 4-hours during the year before the latest annual inspection had been conducted. The mechanic who had inspected the muffler said he had noticed some small pinhole-sized holes at the muffler's end. He said he did not think they were serious or would cause a problem. This inspection was conducted about 2- months before the accident.

History of flight

On January 26, 1998, about 0400 central standard time (cst), a Piper PA-28-160, N5099W, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed during a collision with the ground following a loss of control in flight. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed Brainerd, Minnesota, about 2230 cst.

A witness located in Northfield, Minnesota, about 10-miles north- northeast of the accident site, said he observed a low wing, single-engine airplane fly overhead about 300-feet above the ground about 0230 cst. He said the airplane was heading in a southerly direction and that its engine sounded "...okay." According to this person, the visibility was less than a mile with snow.

According to the Rice County, Minnesota, Sheriff's Department report, the wife of N5099W's passenger said the airplane was supposed to have arrived at the Owatonna Municipal Airport, Owatonna, Minnesota, about 2330 cst. This airport is about 15- miles south of the accident site. The report said the wife waited at the airport until 0100 cst. According to the report, the wife said the weather at the airport was "...foggy and there was a light mist." The report said an off-duty Sheriff's Department Deputy had found the airplane about 0757 cst in a snow-covered field next to a county highway.

Personnel information

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records showed the pilot obtained his single-engine land airplane private pilot certificate on August 7, 1997, at a total time of 55.5-hours. He possessed an FAA third class medical certificate that was issued on March 6, 1997. According to his logbook, he had 3.0-hours of flight by reference to instruments dual instruction when he obtained his private pilot certificate. The logbook showed he had received 5.8-hours of night dual instruction when he took his private pilot check ride. The logbook showed the pilot had flown 1 additional night flight since obtaining his private pilot's certificate. That flight was flown January 2, 1998, at a total time of 1.1-hours.

Aircraft information

The annual inspection on N5099W was completed on November 20, 1997. At that time, the total time on the airframe was 3,004-hours. The last entry into the aircraft logbook showed that new avionics were installed in the airplane on December 15, 1997. The logbook entry for this work did not show any airframe time. Examination of N5099W's engine logbook revealed that a new exhaust muffler was installed on November 8, 1971. At that time, the airframe had a total time of 1,806-hours. According to the engine logbook, the exhaust system was "...checked..." on June 14, 1978. At that time, the airframe had a total time of 2,469.99-hours. A similar entry, dated November 1, 1982, was found in the logbook. The airplane's total time of 2,635.37-hours at this inspection. The next entry in the logbook that specifically addresses the exhaust system was on September 7, 1995. At that time, the airframe's total time was 3,000.1-hours.

The November 20, 1997, annual inspection entry in the engine logbook did not address an exhaust system inspection. However, a handwritten page that outlined inspection items associated with this inspection showed, "14) Muffler condition" and had the initials "DF" next to the line item. The FAA Principal Maintenance Inspector assigned to this investigation said he had asked the meaning of the initials. He said they represented the person's name who had examined the muffler for its condition. The handwritten page is appended to this report.

Meteorological information

According to the recorded weather reports, the weather at the Fairbault Municipal Airport, Fairbault, Minnesota, at 0314 and 0338 cst was 700-feet overcast with a 2-1/2 mile visibility due to ground fog. The temperature/dew point was 24 and 21-degrees Fahrenheit respectively. Reported weather for Mankato and Rochester, Minnesota, airports were similar to Fairbault's reported weather. The weather reports are appended to this report.

Wreckage and impact information

N5099W's first point of impact in a snow-covered farm field was about 470-feet east of Rice County Highway 76. The wreckage trail's general heading was about 295-degrees magnetic. About 25-feet after the first impact mark a second impact point was found. This point had a shape similar to the front view of the fuselage and wings. As the wreckage trail continued, various parts of the airplane were found up to where the airplane's main wreckage was located, about 325-feet from the initial impact point. A wreckage trail sketch is appended to this report.

N5099W's fuselage section forward of the firewall was part of the wreckage trail. The engine and remains of the fuselage were co-located at the end of the wreckage trail. The airplane's fuselage was inverted and resting on the left wings upper surface. Both wings were co-located with the fuselage remains. Sections of the right wing's leading edge were missing back to the main spar. Sections of the left and right wing were found along the wreckage trail.

The empennage was bent forward with the vertical stabilizer's leading edge root area merging into the fuselage's top. About 8-inches of the rudder's outboard tip was bent to the right about 30-degrees. The rudder's trailing edge had a right hand double bend about mid span. The stabilator's left side was crushed and twisted. The right side had small leading edge dents near its tip.

The airplane's flight control system cables were collision damaged. Separated ends of the control cables were broomed. The individual strands of cable at these broomed ends were necked. Control cable continuity was established for the three axis flight control surfaces to the control yoke column and rudder pedals.

The altimeter's Kollsman window was set at 30.11. The pointer needles showed 7,650-feet above mean sea level. The airspeed indicator needle transfer mark was observed at the 132-miles per hour position. Fuel pressure gauge showed 5-pound per square inch. The left fuel tank gauge needle showed empty and the right showed 1/4-fuel supply remaining. The master switch was "ON," the magneto switch was in the "LEFT" position. The fuel pump switch was broken off at the "OFF" position. The carburetor heat was in the "OFF" position.

The engine had separated from the airframe and was next to the fuselage's east side. The propeller and engine crankshaft flange had separated from the engine. The flange separation fractures had shear lips and their surfaces were gray and had a grainy appearance. The propeller spinner was crushed around the propeller hub. One propeller blade was twisted along its full span. A section about 1-inch wide and 3-inches long was missing from the tip. The blade had span and chordwise scratches of various depths and widths along its full span. The second blade was bent aft about 20-degrees and twisted spanwise at the midspan location. Two leading edge gouges, located about 6 and 8-inches in from the tip, were about 1/4 and 1/2-inch deep respectively. This blade had span and chordwise scratching similarly to the other blade. The vacuum pump rotated without noticeable restriction. The vanes and rotor were intact and the drive coupling was not damaged. Examination of the attitude and heading indicator's gyro rotors and cases showed evidence of small rub marks on the rotor's edges and corresponding case locations. The turn and slip indicator's gyro rotor had a scuff mark located about midway on its surface. This mark was about 1/2-inch long. The case had a similar mark whose position closely matched the mark on the rotor.

The engine was examined and found to have mechanical continuity throughout. Thumb compression was observe