IAD02FA043

After obtaining weather information, the pilot departed on a long cross country flight at night in instrument meteorological conditions. Approximately 2 hours after departure, the pilot was vectored by air traffic control (ATC) to intercept the localizer for the ILS RWY 36 approach at his destination airport. The pilot acknowledged that he had intercepted the localizer, and was cleared for the approach. Subsequently, ATC terminated radar services and approved a change in radio frequency. The pilot acknowledged the instructions, and there were no further communications with him. Data extracted from a handheld GPS unit revealed that during the last 4 minutes of the flight, the airplane made a series of left and right hand turns in the vicinity of the localizer course as it descended towards the airport. However, it was never established on the localizer course. The last recorded position calculated by the GPS occurred at 2118, was at an altitude of 779 feet msl, about 2,000 feet southeast of runway 36. The published decision altitude for the approach was 972 feet msl. A witness said that the airplane flew very low over her home, and sounded like "a motorcycle going full throttle...at a steady constant rate." Another witness said that the airplane flew over his home about 40-50 feet above the trees with the engines "running correctly." He then observed the airplane's landing lights illuminate the tree tops, then the woods, before it collided with terrain. Weather at the time of the accident included wind from 200 degrees at 6 knots gusting to 15 knots, visibility 2 statute miles, ceiling 300 feet overcast, temperature 52 degrees F, and dewpoint 51 degrees F.

History of flight

On April 12, 2002, at 2118 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-34-200T, N82284, was destroyed when it collided with trees, then terrain, while executing an instrument approach to Waterbury -Oxford Airport (OXC), Oxford, Connecticut. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight that originated at Grand Strand Airport (CRE), North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, at 1807. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

Prior to departure, the pilot obtained weather information and filed an IFR flight plan with the Anderson Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), Anderson, South Carolina. He also purchased 62.9 gallons of fuel, which filled the tanks.

A review of air traffic control (ATC) communications revealed that after the pilot arrived in the New York Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON) area, he received vectors to intercept the localizer course for the instrument landing system (ILS) RWY 36 approach at Waterbury-Oxford Airport.

At 2102, the pilot advised the approach controller that he was established on the localizer, and five minutes later, he was cleared for the approach.

At 2114, the approach controller advised the pilot that he was about 2 miles from the locater outer marker (LOM)/Clera intersection. At that time, the approach controller terminated radar services and approved a change radio frequency. The pilot acknowledged the radio call.

At 2123, the approach controller attempted to contact the pilot, but there was no response. There were no further communications with the pilot.

A witness, who was standing in his driveway, facing the airport, heard the airplane approach, and noted that it sounded "off course." When the witness looked up, the airplane flew over his home about 40-50 feet above the trees, then "continued to fly normally at the same altitude as if to land." The witness then observed the airplane's landing lights illuminate the tree tops and the woods, before it crashed. The witness also related that he built engines, and thought the airplane's engines sounded like they were "running correctly."

A second witness was in his home when he heard the sound of a twin-engine airplane approach from the east. He said the engine rpm sounded "higher" than normal, when all of a sudden it dropped to a real low rpm for a few seconds. The rpm then increased "drastically" for 3 to 4 seconds, before it dropped slightly. The witness also said that "normally the sound of the plane drifts off, but this changed drastically."

A third witness was in her home, located directly across the street from the accident site. She said the airplane flew very low over her home and sounded like "a motorcycle going full throttle overhead at a steady constant rate." Almost instantly, she heard a loud boom and saw an orange glow in the yard.

A fourth witness was standing outside his office at the airport, when he heard the sound of a "jet engine revving loud." He said the "revving started to get faster (higher)", then he heard a crash.

Radar data was requested from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Due to a technical malfunction with the recording equipment, the data was not recovered for this flight.

The accident occurred during the hours of darkness, approximately 41 degrees, 28 minutes north latitude, and 73 degrees, 7 minutes west longitude.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land, multi engine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third class medical certificate was issued on May 12, 2000.

Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed that the last entry was logged on December 25, 2001. At that time, the pilot had accrued a total of 897.5 hours, of which, 341.2 hours were in multi-engine aircraft. He had a total of 119.7 hours at night, and 45.2 flight hours in actual instrument conditions. In the six months preceding the accident, the pilot wrote in the remarks section of his logbook that he had executed eight ILS RWY 36 approaches at the Waterbury-Oxford Airport.

On a separate piece of paper, the pilot recorded two separate flights that occurred on March 30, 2002. The first flight was 1 hour in duration, and the pilot remarked that he had completed, "turns, ILS 36 circle to land RWY 18...3 landings." The second flight was 1.7 hours in duration, and the pilot remarked that he completed "turns, 3 landings day, 1 ILS 36."

Meteorological information

Weather reported at the Waterbury-Oxford Airport, at 2115, included winds from 200 degrees at 6 knots gusting to 15 knots, temperature 52 degrees F, dewpoint 51 degrees F, and altimeter setting 30.38 inches Hg. The visibility was 2 statute miles and the ceiling was 300 feet overcast.

The published weather minimums for the ILS RWY 36 approach included a 300-foot ceiling and a 1-mile visibility.

Aids to navigation

The published inbound course for the ILS RWY 36 approach was 005 degrees, and the decision altitude was 972 feet msl (250 feet agl). The airport elevation was 727 feet msl.

Runway 36 was a 5,000-foot-long and 100-foot-wide asphalt runway, which was equipped with a 4-light precision approach path indicator (PAPI) system, high intensity runway lights (HIRL) and runway end identifier lights (REIL).

On April 13, 2002, FAA flight test personnel conducted an inspection of the ILS RWY 36 approach system, and found it "satisfactory".

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane wreckage was examined at the site on April 13-14, 2002. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The airplane came to rest upright, embedded in brush and mud, on a heading of 120 degrees, at a ground elevation of approximately 650 feet mean sea level (msl), about 2,000 feet southeast of runway 36.

Initial tree impact scars started 176 feet from the main wreckage, and a 5- to 10-foot-wide swath was cut through the approximately 50-foot trees. Tree impact scars became progressively lower on the trees in the direction of the main wreckage, which was in a general direction of 295 degrees. The terrain also sloped down hill from the initial impact point to where the main wreckage came to rest.

Several cut tree branches were found along the wreckage path. Examination of the branches revealed that the ends were cut at approximately 45-degree angles at the beginning of the wreckage path, and approximately 80-degree angles closer to the main wreckage. The surface of these cuts exhibited black paint transfer marks.

The left aileron, left fuel tank, outboard section of the left wing, right engine propeller assembly, and right main landing gear were found scattered along the wreckage path.

The cockpit, fuselage, and empennage, were consumed by fire.

The right wing remained attached to the fuselage, and exhibited fire and impact damage. The fuel tank was melted, the aileron was separated, and the flap was partially attached and bent under the fuselage.

The left wing main spar remained attached to the fuselage at the wing root. However, the wing structure was fragmented and separated due to impact damage.

The tail control surfaces exhibited fire and impact damage, and remained attached to the fuselage by control cables.

Flight control continuity was traced for each flight control surface. Some of the cables exhibited "broomstraw" separations.

Examination of the flap handle and flap chain mechanism revealed that the flaps were extended 10 degrees.

The rudder trim wheel and actuator were both found in the full-right position. However, the cables had severed through to approximately 1.5 inches of airframe structure in the tail.

The pitch trim actuator was found set to 1/2 degree nose down.

The right m