“…I Have Lost Um My RPM On My Engine And So Um I Am Declaring An Emergency.” 

Location: Attalla, AL Accident Number: ERA24FA050
Date & Time: November 27, 2023, 17:48 Local Registration: N4187Q
Aircraft: Piper PA32R Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On November 27, 2023, about 1748 central standard time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, N4187Q, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Attalla, Alabama. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

The pilot was on an instrument flight rules clearance from Scott Municipal Airport (SCX), Oneida, Tennessee, to H L Sonny Callahan Airport (CQF), Fairhope, Alabama. According to preliminary Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data and air traffic control audio information, after takeoff the flight continued on a south-southwest ground track flying at an altitude of about 6,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The pilot remained in contact with several FAA air traffic control facilities appropriate for the route of flight. While the pilot was in contact with the Birmingham Air Traffic Control Tower South Radar position the airplane began descending about 1743. At that time the airplane was about 4 nautical miles north-northeast from the approach end of runway 18 at Northeast Alabama Regional Airport (GAD), Gadsden, Alabama. At 1743:08, then again at 1743:22, the pilot contacted the controller but there was no reply until 1743:33. Two  seconds later the pilot advised the controller, “…I have lost um my rpm on my engine and so um I am declaring an emergency.” 

The controller advised the pilot there was an airport to his right at 12 miles and an airport at 30 miles. Shortly after declaring an emergency the airplane turned right to a westerly ground track, and while on that track the pilot recognized that the flight was close to GAD and asked about it. The controller advised him that the long runway (6/24) was closed and the short runway (18/36) did not have any runway lights. While on a westerly track the pilot again questioned the controller about GAD and was again informed of the runway closure and that runway 18/36 “has got work on it as well with no lights.”

At 1744:58, the pilot asked the controller for the heading to the closest airport and was given radar vectors to Robbins Field Airport (20A), Oneonta, Alabama. The airplane remained on the westerly track until 1745:43. While flying at an altitude of about 3,300 ft msl the airplane turned left to a south-southwesterly heading. The airplane continued descending on its same track, then at 1746:04 the pilot informed the controller that the airplane was at 3,000 ft msl, which was within about 10 ft of the ADS-B reported altitude. About 26 seconds later the pilot advised the controller that he did not have any airport in sight. 

The airplane continued and the last ADSB target was recorded at 1746:36, when the airplane was at about 2,400 ft msl. At  1747:32, the controller advised the pilot that radar contact was lost and asked if the pilot had a nearby highway in sight to which he replied “I” but the rest of the comment was unintelligible. At 1748:02, which was the last recorded transmission from the pilot, he advised the controller that he had a terrain warning and that the airplane was at 1,100 ft msl. The controller responded 1 minute 18 seconds later asking the pilot if he had put in the coordinates or identifier to navigate to the vectored airport.

A witness who was located 1,083 ft north-northeast from the accident site reported hearing an airplane flying low then heard an explosion and felt it shake the house. A second witness who was located 2,020 ft northeast of the accident site reported seeing a fireball after the accident. A security camera located 3,965 ft and northwest from the accident site location depicted the airplane flying from left to right in a slight descent. A large fireball was recorded at 1748:10. The video did not contain sound. On the date and time of the accident, there were NOTAMs noting that runways 6/24 and 18/36 at GAD were closed.

The accident site location which consisted of mountainous wooded terrain was about 11 nautical miles and east of 20A. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the left gear retainer assembly (part number LW-19096) was fractured and pieces of the cushions from it were found in the oil sump. Also, the left crankshaft idler gear assembly (part number 71668) and the fuel pump idler gear assembly (part number 71664) exhibited damaged or missing teeth. The fractured pieces of the left gear retainer assembly, damaged gears, and ferrous parts found in the engine oil sump were retained for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov