MIA04FA135

The accident airplane crashed while maneuvering to land in the vicinity of the airport, September 15, 2004. On board the airplane was the student pilot/owner, as well as his wife and children. A relative had reported the family as missing on September 24, 2004, and the investigation that followed revealed that the family had last been seen on September 14, 2004, at the Atmore Airport, Atmore, Alabama. The airplane was discovered on October 4 , 2004, by the Mississippi Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, about 2.5 nautical miles from the airport. According to records, the student pilot had accumulated a total of 96.5 flight hours, of which about 43.3 flight hours were in the same make and model airplane. he had also accumulated 3.4 hours of night flight experience, and he had not recorded any flight experience within the previous 90 days. According to information obtained from the accident pilot's flight instructor, his student had last received instruction on September 9, 2003, and at that time he was not given an endorsement to operate the airplane solo. Postcrash examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies with its structure, flight controls, or engines.

History of flight

On September 15, 2004, about 0250 central daylight time, a Cessna 336, N3832U, registered to and operated by a private individual as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in Magee, Mississippi. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The student-rated pilot and three non-rated passengers received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated in Atmore, Alabama, the same day, about 0057.

On September 24, 2004, a relative reported the family as missing to the Escambia Sheriff's Office, Escambia County, Florida, and on September 25, 2004, an investigation was initiated. The investigation revealed that that the family had last been seen on September 14, 2004, at the Atmore Airport, Atmore, Alabama. The investigation further revealed that the student pilot/aircraft owner had been preparing his house and property in Molino, Florida, in anticipation of the arrival of Hurricane Ivan. During the course of the investigation a relative revealed that the pilot had been frantically searching for an airport where he could move his airplane, in order to avoid Hurricane Ivan, since the airplane had not been insured.

After being notified on September 26, 2004, the U.S. Air Force Rescue Coordination Center initiated a case, and the Civil Air Patrol commenced a search. The accident airplane was discovered on October 4, 2004, by the Mississippi Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, in a thicket of trees, in a remote area of Simpson County, Mississippi, in geographic position 31 degrees 49.141 minutes North latitude, 089 degrees 48.853 West longitude, about 288 degrees magnetic, and about 2.5 nautical miles from the Magee Airport, Magee, Mississippi.

According to radar data obtained from the Air Force, on the night of the accident the pilot had over flown, and was maneuvering the accident airplane in the vicinity of the Magee Municipal Airport. His final radar position at noted to be at 0249:24, and the position was 31 degrees 52 minutes 33.9 seconds North latitude, 089 degrees 48 minutes, 28.9 Seconds West longitude. At that time the radar data showed the airplane to be at an altitude of 2300 feet, and having a climb rate of about 1,000 feet per minute.

Personnel information

Records obtained from the FAA showed that the pilot held an FAA student pilot certificate/third class medical issued on July 12, 2004. He also held an FAA airframe and powerplant license. The pilot's logbook, which was located in the wreckage, showed that the pilot commenced flight training in a Cessna 150 on August 2, 1976, and the last logbook entry was on September 9, 2003. According to the logbook, he had accumulated 96.5 flight hours, of which about 43.3 flight hours were in the same make and model airplane, as the accident airplane. His total flight experience according to the logbook showed that he had accumulated 3.4 hours of night flight experience, all of which was in the accident airplane, and he had no current endorsements, nor had he any recorded flight experience during the previous 90 days. The accident pilot's flight instructor also confirmed that the pilot had last received instruction on September 9, 2003.

Aircraft information

N3832U was a 1964 Cessna 336, serial number 336-0132. The airplane was equipped with two 300-horsepower Teledyne Continental Motors IO-360-C4, mounted in forward and aft configurations. The airplane had received an annual inspection on August 18, 2004, at which time it had accumulated about 3,147.2 hours.

According to maintenance records, the front engine, serial number 50763-7-C, had been installed on July 18, 1996. At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated about 2673 flight hours. The aft engine, serial number 10277-3-A, had been installed on October 6, 1995, and at the time of the accident, it had accumulated about 1753 flight hours.

The airplane was also equipped with two 2-bladed constant speed Hartzell propellers. The serial number of the one mounted on the forward engine was 721662 and the number on the aft engine was 692750.

Meteorological information

Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The Jackson, Mississippi, 0254 surface weather observation was sky clear, visibility 8 statute miles, wind from 100 at 5 knots, temperature 21 degrees C, dew point temperature 20 degrees C, altimeter setting 29.91 inHg.

Wreckage and impact information

N3832U crashed in a remote rural area in the township of Magee, in Simpson County, Mississippi. The airplane came to rest in an area of dense trees and shrubs and the heights of the trees varied from 20 to 75 feet. Signs of the initial impact were observed in the trees at a height of about 60 to 75 feet, and the airplane had collided with successive trees in the impact sequence, along a heading of about 100 degrees magnetic, and an impact angle of about 30 to 35 degrees.

The distance of the debris field when measured from the initial point of impact to the downstream most extremity along the debris path was about 200 feet. In addition the debris path was narrow, and airplane related debris was located consistent with the airplane being in a left wing low attitude. A few trees that were about 75 feet tall marked the point of initial impact, and the left wing and left rudder were observed in their vicinity. As the distance proceeded along the debris field, the main cabin and other fractured sections of the airplane were found. All sections of the airplane were confirmed to be present and were immediately located in the general vicinity of the main wreckage.

There was no evidence of a fire having occurred, but there were damaged trees shrubbery/grass in the area, which possessed a brown color. The airplane's cabin had incurred damage consistent with a high-energy impact, and it had compacted in an "accordion-like" manner, with the cowling, structure, gauges, wiring, upholstery, and other cabin-related debris being compressed together. All flight, navigation, and engine instruments exhibited damage consistent with the impact, and the seats were deformed, with the most damage occurring to the front seats/front cabin area, and diminishing further aft within the cabin.

Both wings had separated into large pieces. The left wing had severed at the cabin and had fractured into a four and a six-foot section, and the flaps had buckled. The flap indicator showed 15 degrees, with the flap selector being in the neutral position, however the flap actuator was consistent with the flaps being in the retracted position. All wing mounted fuel tanks displayed hydraulic deformation. The right wing had severed near the aileron/flap junction, and the three fuel tanks also displayed hydraulic deformation. The right tailboom had also severed from the right wing, and the associated rudder had severed at the upper and lower connecting points to the vertical stabilizer. The elevator indicator was destroyed, and the elevator tab position measured about 3.5 inches.

Further examination of the cabin revealed that the airspeed indicator read 0, the altimeter read 1,700 feet, and the heading indicator showed 130 degrees. The attitude indicator had tumbled for both roll and pitch, and the vertical speed indicator was destroyed. the turn and bank indicator was functioning and was consistent with normal operation. The magnetic compass was intact, and both Nav. No. 1 and 2 were destroyed. The master switch as well as the magneto switches for both the left and right magnetos for the left and right engines were noted to be on. The avionics switch, and the switch for the navigation lights were also on, and the landing and taxi light switches were noted to be in the off position.

The transponder was set to 1200, and the hour meter showed 3173.0 hours. the manifold pressure was noted to be 16.5 for engine No 1, and for engine No. 2 38.in addition, the fuel fl