(Airplane) Began A Right Descending Spiral From 9,025 Ft MSL

Location: Trout Creek, NY Accident Number: ERA24FA283
Date & Time: June 30, 2024, 13:55 Local Registration: N85PG
Aircraft: Piper PA46 Injuries: 5 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On June 30, 2024, about 1355 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-46-310P, N85PG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Trout Creek, New York. The instrument-rated private pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. 

Airport surveillance video and preliminary flight track data revealed that the airplane departed runway 24 at Albert S. Nader Regional Airport (N66), Oneonta, New York, about 1342, with an intended destination of West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW), Charleston, West Virgina. After departing the airport, the pilot contacted the Boston Air Route Traffic Control Center and requested an instrument flight rules clearance. The controller issued the pilot a discrete transponder beacon code and established radar contact with the airplane about 5 nautical miles southwest of N66. The controller subsequently cleared the pilot to CRW “as filed” and issued a climb to 10,000 ft mean sea level (msl) which the pilot acknowledged. The controller then issued a weather advisory to the pilot of moderate and heavy precipitation off the pilot’s right side “for the next 30 miles” which the pilot acknowledged. As the airplane climbed through 6,100 ft msl, about 1349, it was issued a climb to 12,000 ft msl, which the pilot acknowledged. About 1352, the airplane began to deviate left of course, and the controller stated “N85PG it looks like you’re deviating left for weather and which fix do you want to go uh downstream to?” Subsequently, at 1353:28, the airplane began a right turn from a heading of 180° to 128°. While in the turn the airplane’s altitude dropped from 9,900 ft msl to 9,100 ft msl and the speed increased from 120 kts ground speed to a maximum of 213 kts ground speed.

The airplane then climbed, and subsequently experienced several altitude and ground speed fluctuations until 1354:43, when it began a right descending spiral from 9,025 ft msl. The last track data point was recorded at 1354:59 with the airplane at an altitude of 6,500 ft msl and a ground speed of 242 kts.

The main wreckage was located about a 1/2-mile northwest of the last track data point. The debris path was oriented on a northwest heading and was about 1.1 miles in length. All major components of the airplane were recovered from the debris field. The main wreckage site consisted of the engine, fuselage, inboard portion of the right wing (to include the right main landing gear), and the left wing. The horizontal stabilizer, elevator and elevator trim tab remained as one piece and were located about 0.85 miles southeast of the main wreckage. 

The vertical stabilizer was located about 1.09 miles southeast of the main wreckage and the rudder was located about 160 ft south of the vertical stabilizer. The outboard portion of the right wing was located about 0.68 miles southeast of the main wreckage. The right wing contained liquid in its fuel tanks consistent with 100-LL aviation gasoline. Both fuel caps on the right wing were secure. The right aileron was located about 940 ft southeast of the right wing and the right flap was located about 0.44 miles east-southeast of the right wing. The left wing remained attached to the fuselage at the forward attachment point and the fuel tanks were breached. Both fuel caps were secure. The left aileron and left flap were separated from the left wing and found within 50 ft of the main wreckage. All fracture surfaces were 
consistent with overload failure.

The instrument panel was crushed and deformed. The pre-impact position of the cockpit controls and switches could not be determined due to impact damage. The pilot side attitude indicator and the electric turn coordinator were removed from the instrument panel and disassembled. The gyros from both instruments showed rotational scoring both on the gyro and the respective housings. The vertical speed indicator faceplate was recovered, and a “needle slap” was observed at a descent rate of 4,000 ft/min. Portions of all flight control cables were visible through fractures in the belly of the airplane; however, continuity from the main wing spar to the flight controls in the cockpit could not be confirmed due to extensive impact damage to the fuselage. Continuity of the elevator and rudder control cables was confirmed from just aft of the main wing spar center section to their terminations in the tailcone. The left aileron drive cable was separated from the sector and remained continuous to the center section of the fuselage. The balance cable remained attached to the sector, was separated at the left side of the fuselage, and exhibited a “broomstraw” appearance consistent with overload. The right aileron drive cable remained attached to the sector and was continuous to the wing root where it was separated. The separation was also consistent with overload. The right side of the balance cable was separated from the sector and continuous from the left side of the fuselage to the swaged ball on the sector end of the cable. The elevator trim jackscrew was separated from the tailcone and was not located.

The engine remained attached to the airframe through the engine mount and was buried about 3 ft in the ground at the accident site. Both magnetos remained secured to the engine and sparked on all leads when their drive shafts were rotated both by hand and with an electric drill. The Nos. 2, 4, and 6 bottom sparkplugs were removed and appeared normal when compared to the Champion Aerospace Aviation Check-A-Plug chart. The Nos. 2 and 6 cylinders were examined via a lighted borescope and no anomalies were noted. The airplane was equipped with two engine driven vacuum pumps which remained attached to the engine at all attachment points. The drive couplings for both vacuum pumps were intact. The vacuum pumps were disassembled for examination and the rotors and vanes were intact inside each of the vacuum pumps.

Fuel records revealed that the pilot purchased 45.4 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline the day before the accident flight. Surveillance video from the airport showed the fuel was obtained at the self-service fuel pump. The self-service fuel station was inspected after the accident and the fuel was found to be absent of contaminants.

The pilot utilized a third-party subscription service to file his flight plan and obtain a weather briefing. Weather briefing records revealed that the briefing included a convective SIGMET valid for the time and route of the planned flight.

The airplane was retained for further examination. 

FMI: www.ntsb.gov