MIA99FA034

History of flight

On November 14, 1998, about 2054, central standard time, a Piper PA-32R-301, N83396, registered to a private individual, collided with trees about 1.5 miles south of the Olive Branch Airport, Olive Branch, Mississippi. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. The airplane was destroyed and the private-rated pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated about 1926, from Pryor Field Regional Airport, Decatur, Alabama.

Review of a chronological summary of flight revealed that at 1925, while on the ground at Pryor Field Regional Airport, the pilot contacted Huntsville Approach requesting IFR clearance to Olive Branch Airport. The IFR clearance was issued at 1926, and at 1929, the pilot contacted Huntsville Approach and advised that the flight was airborne. The aircraft was radar identified and the pilot was advised by the controller to climb to 6,000 feet and to proceed on course. The flight continued and at 1936, the pilot was advised to contact Memphis Air Route Traffic Control Center. Air traffic control communications were then transferred to Memphis Approach Control. Review of a transcript of communications with that facility revealed that at 2016.32, the pilot radioed the facility and advised that the flight was at 6,000 feet. The controller acknowledged the contact and advised the pilot that there was no weather available for the destination airport. The controller also advised the pilot that the weather conditions at the Memphis International Airport included ifr conditions "...visibility four with mist ceiling 300 overcast wind calm altimeter's two niner niner six...."

The controller asked the pilot his intentions and the pilot responded, "let's use the ah localizer one eight." The controller advised the pilot that the flight would be vectored to the Localizer/DME approach to runway 18 at the Olive Branch Airport and asked the pilot his intentions if the pilot executed a missed approach. The pilot advised that he would "...try ah ah runway two seven at memphis." The controller radioed to the pilot that "alright in the event of a missed approach you can probably expect one of the parallels at memphis due to the ah low ceilings i'll keep you advised." The pilot acknowledged this and the controller advised the pilot to descend and maintain 4,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged the descent clearance and review of radar data from Memphis Approach Control revealed that at that time, the recorded altitude was 6,000 feet. The controller advised the pilot to turn to a heading of 310 degrees for a vector to the Localizer/DME approach to runway 18. The pilot acknowledged the clearance then the controller cleared the flight to descend and maintain 3,000 feet. The radar data from Memphis Approach Control indicated that the airplane at that time was at 4,000 feet. The pilot acknowledged the descent clearance and the controller vectored the flight then at 2035.02, the flight was cleared to descend and maintain 2,500 feet. The pilot acknowledged the clearance and at 2036.29, the controller advised the pilot to turn left heading 200 degrees to join the runway 18 Localizer approach to the Olive Branch Airport.

At 2036.35, the pilot radioed the controller and stated "two zero zero and join the localizer three niner six." At 2037.14, the controller advised the pilot "piper three niner six you're four miles from mandd cleared for the localizer dme approach runway 18 at olive branch in the event of missed approach fly heading one eight zero climb and maintain two thousand and return to this frequency." The pilot acknowledged the transmission from the controller and 2 seconds after the pilot acknowledged the clearance, the controller advised the pilot to change to advisory frequency and to cancel IFR with him if the airport in sight or as soon as practical on frequency one two one point three. The pilot acknowledged this then there were no communications with the airplane for 4 minutes 6 seconds. Radar data from Memphis Approach Control revealed that between 2037.14 and 2040.31, the flight descended from 2,500 to 700 feet mean sea level (msl). Review of the instrument approach procedure for a straight in Localizer approach to runway 18 revealed that the minimum descent altitude for the accident airplane category is 800 feet msl. The radar data indicates that between 2040.31 and 2041.41, the altitude increased from 700 to 1,300 feet msl. At 2041.43, the pilot radioed the controller and stated "memphis eight three three niner six back with you ah i'd like to ah go back around and try that one more time before we come over there." The controller acknowledged the request and advised the pilot to climb and maintain two thousand five hundred and to fly heading zero nine zero degrees. The pilot acknowledged only the heading to fly. The controller radioed the pilot and stated "piper three niner six what were the flight conditions in the ah olive branch area." The pilot responded at 2042.43, "we was look like we just about had it there ah i think i'd like to try it one more time see if we can make it."

The controller acknowledged this and vectored the flight to a "base" leg. At 2048.48, the controller advised the pilot "piper three niner six turn left heading two zero zero join the runway one eight localizer at olive branch and advise when you're established." The pilot acknowledged this and at 2049.47, the controller stated "piper three niner six you're two miles from mandd cleared for the localizer dme approach runway 18 at olive branch change to advisory frequency is approved in the event of missed approach fly heading one eight zero just continue south bound climb and maintain two thousand and return to this frequency." The pilot acknowledged the approach clearance and there were no further recorded radio communications with the accident pilot. Radar data from Memphis Approach Control revealed that between 2049.49 to 2053.26, the flight descended from 2,400 to 700 feet msl. The last radar target indicated that the airplane was at 700 feel msl. There was no mention by the controller during any time that the flight was in contact with Memphis Approach Control that the altitude displayed on the controllers scope was different from the requested altitude to be flown.

Personnel information

Review of the pilot's second pilot logbook which began with the first entry dated July 14, 1994, through the last entry dated October 23, 1998, revealed that on the inside page, handwriting indicates a Biennial Flight Review (BFR) was accomplished in September 1994. The logbook indicates that on March 30, 1996, two flights lasting a documented 5.4 hours in the accident make and model airplane were documented for the wings program. The logbook also indicates that on October 25, 1997, an entry indicates that the pilot completed the ground portion only of the flight review required by FAR 61.56. An entry dated September 9, 1998, contained a signature with the column of dual instruction marked. The entry does not specifically indicate that a BFR flight review was accomplished. Between March 14, 1998, and the last entry dated October 23, 1998, the pilot recorded 35 hours of actual instrument flight time which included a total of 27 instrument approaches.

Aircraft information

Federal Aviation Administration records indicate that the airplane registration paperwork was signed by the pilot on June 1, 1994.

The permanent aircraft maintenance records were not located; they were requested several times from the attorney who represents the estate of the pilot. According to a work order, in February 1994, the altimeter was found to be "defective" during a test of it and the pitot static system. A non-Technical Standard Order (TSO) alti