ERA22FA354

The pilot and his passenger departed the airport for a personal flight but shortly after takeoff, the pilot elected to return to the airport. Witnesses stated that a thunderstorm was coming in from the south. Meteorological data showed an approaching area of convection with tops at 45,000 ft. The pilot attempted to return to the airport and did not fly a standard airport traffic pattern; instead, he approached from the north, unusually low over the tree line, crossing midfield, then made a sharp left turn to join the downwind traffic, before turning left again to land. As the airplane crossed over the runway perpendicular to the runway numbers, it suddenly entered a left descending spiral and impacted terrain adjacent to the runway. The postaccident examination of the engine and airframe, combined with the examination of the impact site, revealed no anomalous findings that would have precluded normal airplane or engine performance. It is likely that shortly after the pilot took off, he witnessed the approaching convective activity and attempted to rush back to the airport to land before the storm arrived, as evident from his nonstandard approach to landing. About the time of the accident, witnesses described a rapid wind shift accompanied by an increase in wind speed and a rapidly decreasing temperature. Witness observations were consistent with experiencing convective outflow from the nearby convective activity and are validated by the weather radar and data that suggest the convective cell was decaying and nearby convection was forming; weather conditions were changing rapidly, and the winds were likely shifting. As the pilot performed the low and nonstandard approach, he likely turned steeply to the left after crossing over the runway numbers; exacerbated by a left quartering crosswind during his turn, he exceeded the airplane’s critical angle of attack and entered a subsequent aerodynamic stall and loss of control.

On August 3, 2022, about 1725 eastern daylight time, a Piper J3C-65, N88550, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Cynthiana-Harrison County Airport (0I8), Cynthiana, Kentucky. The passenger sustained fatal injuries and the private pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. About 1710, the pilot and passenger, who were seated in the aft and front seat respectively, departed the airport for a brief flight. About 10 minutes after departure, witnesses reported seeing a thunderstorm coming in from the south. The storm consisted of a “wall of rain” that they could see several miles out. There was also a “rapid wind shift accompanied by an increase in wind speed,” and the air temperature was dropping quickly. A witness reported that the airplane returned to the airport and flew an unusually low airport traffic pattern. The airplane approached the airport at a low altitude, just over the trees from the north, and then made a left turn to join the left downwind leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 29. The engine went to full throttle but sounded like it was having trouble getting there and sounded “warbly.” The airplane then made a low approach, skipping the base leg, turning directly over the runway numbers. Then the airplane entered a descending left spin before impacting the ground adjacent to the runway. The witness further stated the winds were picking up and it was gusty with a crosswind. Almost immediately after impact, heavy rain and wind began at the airport. The automated weather observing system (AWOS) at Georgetown-Scott County Regional Airport (27K), Georgetown, Kentucky, located 11 miles southwest of the accident location at an elevation of about 950 ft, reported that at 1715 the wind was from 230° at 7 knots, the visibility was 10 statute miles or greater, with scattered clouds at 4,700 ft above ground level (agl), scattered clouds at 5,500 ft agl, a temperature of 32° Celsius (C), dew point temperature of 23°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury. At 1735, the 27K AWOS reported wind from 160° at 19 knots with gusts to 25 knots, visibility of 10 statute miles or greater, scattered clouds at 4,500 ft agl, ceiling broken at 5,500 ft agl, broken clouds at 7,000 ft agl, temperature of 28°C and dew point temperature of 20°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches of mercury. Weather radar imagery from near Jackson, Kentucky, located about 65 miles southeast of the accident location, indicated an area of convective activity approaching the airport (Figure 1). The radar data depicted an isolated convective cell approaching the accident location from the south-southwest during the accident period. As the cell approached the accident site, reflectivity values decreased, and the Federal Aviation Administration’s Corridor Integrated Weather System analysis of the cell identified a large amount of decay. About this timethe weather radar also depicted a new area of +50dBZ growing immediately to the west of the previously isolated cell. Figure 1 Sequential weather radar showing convective activity moving towards accident site from the southwest. Nos 1 through 4 are time stamped at 1711, 1718, 1725 and 1735 respectively. The wreckage came to rest in the grass about 20 ft north of runway 29 at an elevation of 719 ft. The wreckage path was compact, oriented on a magnetic heading of 151°, and all major components of the engine and airframe were accounted for at the scene. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage was buckled, and the left wing was severely crushed and broken aft. The magnetos switch was on BOTH and the fuel selector was in the ON position. The empennage was bucked and bent to the left. The entire engine assembly was bent upwards and canted to the right with the left side of the engine covered in dirt. Both wood propeller blades were splintered although they remained attached to the center hub and crankshaft flange; one blade was shattered down to the spinner with the opposing blade shattered outboard of the erosion strip. There were several dozen propeller fragments in a 40 ft radius of the main wreckage and there were 3-inch-deep rotational scalp marks in the grass and dirt at the primary impact site. There were red navigation light lens fragments on the runway edge followed by a primary impact crater that contained propeller fragments and small pieces of wreckage. The cockpit’s occupiable space was severely compromised in the forward seat area and no shoulder harnesses were observed. The fuel tank remained intact and contained about 5 gallons of aviation fuel. Flight control continuity was confirmed on all control surfaces through their respective control cables and into the cockpit. The engine crankshaft was rotated 720° with no binding noted. Valvetrain continuity was confirmed, there was thumb compression and suction in each of the cylinders, and both magnetos created spark at each of the posts. There were no preimpact mechanical anomalies discovered with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal performance or engine operation.