Local Resident Found Wreckage In A Field Near The Airport The Following Day

The pilot of a Piper PA-23-250 airplane which went down just short of Houston County Airport (KCHU) in Caledonia, MN November 1 gave no indication that there was anything wrong with his airplane, according to a preliminary report from the NTSB.

According to the report, the airplane impacted terrain near KCHU. The private rated pilot and two passengers were fatally injured and one passenger received serious injury. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Garlam Aviation, Troy, Michigan, and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 cross-country flight. The flight originated from the Oakland/Troy Airport (KVLL), Troy Michigan about 1100 CDT.

There were no reported witnesses to the accident; however, a local resident discovered the airplane wreckage and alerted authorities.

The accident site was located about 590 feet northeast of KCHU's runway, in an open soybean field. The wreckage path consisted of several ground scars and airplane pieces extended approximately 100 feet from the main wreckage on a 260 degree heading. The first impact point was a ground scar which contained remains of a green navigation light lens. From the first impact point, about 24 feet from the green lens fragments, the ground scar contained several "cuts"; the next major ground scar contained the airplane's nose baggage door and fragmented pieces of windshield. The ground scars and wreckage is consistent with a right wing airplane down impact followed by the right engine and fuselage impact. The airplane came to rest in an upright position, turned about a 180-degree and facing the first impact point.

According to a preliminary review of air traffic control communications and radar data, the airplane departed KVLL and flew for about three hours en route to KCHU. Prior to reaching KCHU, the pilot was cleared for the GPS-A approach; the pilot canceled his IFR clearance about 1405. There was no reported distress calls from the pilot.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov