# NTSB SEA94FA106: Piper PA-32-260, N7659C, Kellogg, ID, April 24, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: April 24, 1994, 13:35 local (20:35 UTC) - Place: Kellogg, ID - Coordinates: 47.570079, -116.110366 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=47.5701&lon=-116.1104&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report June 1, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 41802 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA94FA106 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/41802/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=41802 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA94FA106 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHILE FLYING WITH PARTIAL PANEL, AND THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INOPERATIVE ATTITUDE INDICATOR, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - normal - vacuum system - failure,total (contributing factor) - flight/nav instruments,attitude indicator - inoperative (contributing factor) - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - weather condition - icing conditions (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, descent - uncontrolled - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause) - stabilizer - overload - stabilizer - separation - wing - overload - wing - separation - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis WHILE EN ROUTE ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN, THE PILOT CONTACTED SEATTLE ARTCC & OBTAINED AN IFR CLEARANCE. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE REQUESTED & WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB TO 15,000' MSL. DURING THE CLIMB, ARTCC TEMPORARILY LOST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE PLANE & ASKED THE PILOT TO REPORT AT 15,000', WHICH HE DID AT 1329 PDT. ABOUT 1 MINUTE LATER, THE PILOT SAID HE LOST 'GYRO SUCTION' & WOULD BE USING 'PARTIAL PANEL.' ALSO, HE REPORTED THERE WAS STILL SOME IMC CONDITIONS, THAT HE WAS IN & OUT OF CLOUDS & THAT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED SOME LIGHT RIME ICING CONDITIONS. SOON THEREAFTER, ARTCC LOST RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRPLANE. A WITNESS HEARD THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE REVVING JUST BEFORE THE PLANE CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE WINGS & EMPENNAGE HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE WINGS HAD FAILED DOWNWARD. THE FUSELAGE SKIN FORWARD OF THE EMPENNAGE WAS RIPPED & TORN WITH NUMEROUS RIVETS TORN THROUGH THE SEAMS. A CHECK OF THE VACUUM PUMP REVEALED EVIDENCE OF SEIZURE AFTER LONG-TERM ENGINE OIL CONTAMINATION & WEAR. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 24, 1994, approximately 1335 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Piper PA-32-260, N7659C, impacted the terrain after experiencing an inflight breakup about seven miles northwest of Kellogg, Idaho. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The FAR Part 91 business flight, which departed Kelwona Airport, Kelwona, British Columbia, about an hour and forty-five minutes earlier, was in instrument meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot, who had filed a VFR flight plan from Kelwona to Missoula, Montana, picked up an IFR clearance while about 75 miles northwest of Spokane, Washington. There was no report of an ELT activation, and no evidence of any inflight or post-impact fire. The first reported contact between the pilot of N7659C and Seattle Center took place at 1226 PDT, about one hour before the accident. At that time, the pilot contacted the center, advised the controller that he was on a VFR flight plan "...out of Kelwona, British Columbia...", and requested "...an IFR clearance into Spokane...", and additional routing along Victor two into Missoula, Montana. Center then cleared the flight to Missoula "...via direct Spokane, Victor Two...", and cleared the pilot to climb to and maintain 13,000 feet, as per his request. At 1232, center updated the routing by directing the pilot to turn left to 100 degrees, and proceed direct to the Mullan Pass VOR, with the rest of the route unchanged. At 1317 the pilot requested and received a clearance to climb to 15,000 feet. At 1325 Center advised the pilot that they had lost his transponder, and asked what altitude he was at. He reported that he was passing through 14,000 feet, and recycled his transponder as requested by Center. After the recycle, Center reported that they still were not picking up the transponder, and asked the pilot to report level at 15,000 feet, which he did at 1329. About one minute after reporting level at 15,000, the pilot advised Center that he had lost his "gyro suction", and that he was "...going to be partial panel..." About two minutes later, Center asked the pilot to "ident", and then advised him that they were now receiving his transponder. About thirty seconds later, Center asked the pilot what his flight conditions were at 15,000 feet, and he responded that he was on top of most of it, but that there were still some IMC conditions that he was going through, and that "...we're in and out of clouds..." He also advised Center that he "...picked up some light rime icing climbing to one five thousand...", but that he seemed "...to be out of it now..." Center responded by advising the pilot that "...light rime icing is reported along your route of flight whenever you're in the clouds." The pilot acknowledged that transmission, and neither center nor the pilot made any more transmissions for about three minutes. At 1337:35, Center attempted to advise the pilot that they had again lost his transponder, but he did not respond to this or any further transmissions. An individual who lived about three miles southeast of the accident site reported that, approximately the same time as the aircraft was lost from radar, he had heard a "normal sounding" aircraft engine overhead. He said that it sounded as if the aircraft was getting lower, and then he heard the engine "rev up", followed closely thereafter by the sound of the impact. After hearing the impact, he immediately called the Sheriff's office. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The 1346 PDT observation taken at Mullan Pass, which is located about 25 miles east of the accident site, showed an estimated ceiling of 6,000 broken, 7,500 overcast, visibility seven miles, light drizzle, wind calm, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches. The 1355 PDT Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) surface weather observation for Coeur D' Alene, Idaho, which is located about 28 miles west of the accident site, showed a measured 4,200 overcast, 10 miles visibility, temperature 52, dewpoint 45, winds 010 degrees at 10 knots, and an altimeter setting of 29.52 inches. At 1315, an aircraft climbing from 10,000 feet to 13,000 feet, about 20 miles south of Coeur D' Alene, reported light rime icing in the climb. At 1318, an aircraft over Mullan Pass VOR, at about 13,000 feet, reported trace to light rime ice. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The aircraft fuselage impacted the terrain about the 3,200 foot level of a clear-cut area on the Barrymore Creek drainage. It was found laying inverted on a heading of 235 degrees magnetic, and was missing both wings and the entire empennage. The fuselage skin just forward of the empennage was ripped and torn and numerous rivets along the seams had torn through the skin. From the cabin aft, the fuselage had been forced downward by the impact so that there was between six inches and a foot separation between the floor and the roof. Both the flap actuator torque tube, and the lower portion of the wing spar carry-through, were found bent in a continuous arc, with their outboard ends in the downward direction. The engine compartment was essentially intact, and the nose gear strut was still attached to the firewall. Both propeller blades where still attached to the hub, and both displayed a small amount of chordwise scarring near their tips. These scars ran from the leading edge to about one inch into the chord of the blade. One blade, which was found embedded almost straight into the ground, showed a small amount of spanwise scarring. The other blade, which had not penetrated the terrain, had soot smeared spanwise along its inboard half where it had contacted a burned tree trunk which was laying on the ground at the point of impact. One side of the spinner was crushed toward the hub, but the other side and the nose of the spinner was not damaged. Both blades had torn about one-half inch into the spinner, in the direction against rotation, around the edge of the cutout where they exit the spinner sides. There was also a single two inch scratch, running opposite the direction of rotation, where the spinner had been forced against the starter engagement gear housing. Both of the aircraft's wings were found about one-half mile up a 12 degree slope from the fuselage on a heading of 035 degrees. They were about 100 feet apart, just beyond the edge of the clear-cut, within a dense coniferous forest made up of trees about 100 feet in height. Both wings had retained their main landing gear strut, flap and aileron. There was very little impact scarring, and no evidence of damage to any of the trees was found. Both wings were missing their wing-tip fuel tanks, and both had the outboard two-thirds of their upper surface bent downward both forward and aft of the main spar. The main spar carry-through was still connected to the left wing, and was found to be bent downward near its outboard ends. Control continuity was unable to be positively established because of the separation of the wings and the impact damage to the fuselage. The Shoshone County Sheriff's office and the Civil Air Patrol conducted a search for the empennage, but it was unable to be located. TESTS AND RESEARCH The vacuum pump, attitude indicator, heading indicator, and turn and slip indicator were removed from the aircraft for further inspection. The vacuum system filter was inspected at the scene, and found to be clean and free from blockage. The gyroscopes in the attitude indicator, heading indicator, and turn and slip indicator were removed from their gimbals, and the gyroscopic wheels were removed from their housings. The housings were inspected under 10 power magnification, and then cut in half in order to facilitate further examination of their interior walls. The interior walls of the housings and the exterior surface of the rotating wheels on all three gyroscopes were inspected for signs of ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7659C](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7659C-2013-05-09), registration cancelled 2013-05-09, S/N 32-7600006, built 1975 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER PA-32-260 - Registry model: [Piper PA-32-260](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32-260) (registry code 7103206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (registry code 41532, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 7600006 - Airframe hours: 3553 - Engines: LYCOMING O-540-E4B5 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Smith, Kenneth A.R. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 4, 1993, 177 hours before - Departed: YLW, KELWONA - Destination: MSO, MISSOULA, MT - Flight plan: VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 3,130 total ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: calm - Lowest ceiling: 6,000 ft broken - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: MLP, 26 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19940424047379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940424047379A), Apr 24, 1994: Piper PA32260, Kellogg, ID, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Came out of clouds minus tail and wings. Vacumn pump siezed. Indicates spiral dive abrupt pull up. Had partial panel ## Docket (27 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 6, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=41802. 2.7 MB in all. - Supplement A - Wreckage Documentation (item 1, .PDF, 185 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019078&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20A%20-%20Wreckage%20Documentation-Master.PDF - Supplement B - Cockpit Documentation (item 2, .PDF, 282 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019079&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20B%20-%20Cockpit%20Documentation-Master.PDF - Supplement I - Crash Kinematics (item 3, .PDF, 78 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019080&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20I%20-%20Crash%20Kinematics-Master.PDF - Maps or Charts of Accident Area, Wreckage Diagrams (item 4, .PDF, 1.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019081&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maps%20or%20Charts%20of%20Accident%20Area,%20Wreckage%20Diagrams-Master.PDF - Attachment #1 (item 5, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019082&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Attachment%20%231-Master.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 6, .PDF, 108 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476329&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 7, .PDF, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40476330&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Master.PDF - Photo 1. Panoramic view showing location of wings (A), and fuselage (B). (item 8, .PDF, 37 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019085&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201.%20%20Panoramic%20view%20showing%20location%20of%20wings%20(A),%20and%20fuselage%20(B).-Master.PDF - Photo 2. Right wing, looking from tip to root. (item 9, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019086&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202.%20%20Right%20wing,%20looking%20from%20tip%20to%20root.-Master.PDF - Photo 3. Left wing, looking from tip to root. (item 10, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019087&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203.%20%20Left%20wing,%20looking%20from%20tip%20to%20root.-Master.PDF - Photo 4. Right side of fuselage (inverted), with floor folded back for access to cabin (arrow). (item 11, .PDF, 59 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019088&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204.%20%20Right%20side%20of%20fuselage%20(inverted),%20with%20floor%20folded%20back%20for%20access%20to%20cabin%20(arrow).-Master.PDF - Photo 5. View of instrument panel laying inverted at impact site. (item 12, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019089&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205.%20%20View%20of%20instrument%20panel%20laying%20inverted%20at%20impact%20site.-Master.PDF - Photo 6. Propeller spinner with one blade embedded in ground. (item 13, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019090&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206.%20%20Propeller%20spinner%20with%20one%20blade%20embedded%20in%20ground.-Master.PDF - Photo 7. Engine compartment with cowl removed. (item 14, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019091&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207.%20%20Engine%20compartment%20with%20cowl%20removed.-Master.PDF - Photo 8. Wing spar carry-through. (item 15, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019092&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%208.%20%20Wing%20spar%20carry-through.-Master.PDF - Photo 9. Section of aircraft floor, showing flap actuator torque tube bent in the downward direction (arrows). (item 16, .PDF, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019093&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%209.%20%20Section%20of%20aircraft%20floor,%20showing%20flap%20actuator%20torque%20tube%20bent%20in%20the%20downward%20direction%20(arrows).-Master.PDF - Photo 10. Dry vacuum pump with top removed. (item 17, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019094&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2010.%20%20Dry%20vacuum%20pump%20with%20top%20removed.-Master.PDF - Photo 11. Gyro wheel from heading indicator. (item 18, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019095&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2011.%20%20Gyro%20wheel%20from%20heading%20indicator.-Master.PDF - Photo 12. Half of heading indicator gyro wheel housing inner wall. (item 19, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019096&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2012.%20%20Half%20of%20heading%20indicator%20gyro%20wheel%20housing%20inner%20wall.-Master.PDF - Photo 13. Other half of heading indicator gyro wheel housing inner wall. (item 20, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019097&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2013.%20%20Other%20half%20of%20heading%20indicator%20gyro%20wheel%20housing%20inner%20wall.-Master.PDF - Photo 14. Gyro wheel from attitude indicator. (item 21, .PDF, 29 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019098&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2014.%20%20Gyro%20wheel%20from%20attitude%20indicator.-Master.PDF - Photo 15. Half of attitude indicator gyro wheel housing, showing nonrotational impact scar (arrow). (item 22, .PDF, 32 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019099&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2015.%20%20Half%20of%20attitude%20indicator%20gyro%20wheel%20housing,%20showing%20nonrotational%20impact%20scar%20(arrow).-Master.PDF - Photo 16. Other half of attitude indicator gyro wheel housing, showing two nonrotational impact scars (arrows). (item 23, .PDF, 31 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019100&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2016.%20%20Other%20half%20of%20attitude%20indicator%20gyro%20wheel%20housing,%20showing%20two%20nonrotational%20impact%20scars%20(arrows).-Master.PDF - Photo 17. Gyro wheel housing from turn and slip indicator, showing circumferential scarring from gyro wheel contact (arrow). (item 24, .PDF, 34 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019101&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2017.%20%20Gyro%20wheel%20housing%20from%20turn%20and%20slip%20indicator,%20showing%20circumferential%20scarring%20from%20gyro%20wheel%20contact%20(arrow).-Master.PDF - Photo 18. Other half of turn and slip indicator gyro wheel housing, showing additional circumferential scarring (arrows). (item 25, .PDF, 33 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019102&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2018.%20%20Other%20half%20of%20turn%20and%20slip%20indicator%20gyro%20wheel%20housing,%20showing%20additional%20circumferential%20scarring%20(arrows).-Master.PDF - Photo 19. Top of turn and slip gyro wheel, showing rotational rubbing and scraping of paint. (item 26, .PDF, 27 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019103&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2019.%20%20Top%20of%20turn%20and%20slip%20gyro%20wheel,%20showing%20rotational%20rubbing%20and%20scraping%20of%20paint.-Master.PDF - Photo 20. Turn and slip indicator gyro wheel, showing circumferential scratching (arrow). (item 27, .PDF, 25 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40019104&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%2020.%20%20Turn%20and%20slip%20indicator%20gyro%20wheel,%20showing%20circumferential%20scratching%20(arrow).-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.