Accident Occurred December 26 Near Biglerville, PA

The NTSB's preliminary report from an accident involving a Piper PA-30 twin Comanche airplane on the day after Christmas last year suggests the plane may have broken up in flight.

According to the report, On December 26, 2013, about 0530 EST, a Piper PA-30, N8372Y, was destroyed following an inflight break up, and impact with terrain near Biglerville in south-central PA. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the flight. The certificated private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from Bloomsburg Municipal Airport (N13), Bloomsburg, PA, around 0445, with an intended destination of Summerville Airport (KDYB), Summerville, SC.

The debris path was approximately 2,350-feet-long oriented on a heading of about 195 degrees. The main wreckage, which consisted of the fuselage, engines, and the inboard section of the wings, was oriented on about a 180 degree heading. The outboard section of the left and right wing, rudder, horizontal stabilizer, left and right stabilator, and left aileron were located in a field about 1,000 feet north of the main wreckage. The major components of the airframe were located and control continuity was confirmed to all flight control surfaces. First responders noted an odor at the site of the main wreckage which they described as similar to 100LL aviation fuel.

Both propellers and spinners had separated from the engines. The engines were co-located with the main wreckage and were imbedded in the ground. The engines and propellers were retained for examination at a later date.

A Garmin 696 handheld global positioning system, an iPad, and two cell phones were located, removed, and sent to the NTSB Recorder Laboratory for download.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov