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National Transportation Safety Board

NTSB ID: ERA16FA289

Most Critical Injury: Fatal

PRELIMINARY REPORT

Occurrence Date: 08/14/2016

Investigated By: NTSB

AVIATION

Occurrence Type: Accident

Location/Time
Nearest City/Place

State

AL

Northport

Zip Code

Local Time

Time Zone

35476

1120

CDT

Aircraft Information
Registration Number

Aircraft Manufacturer

Model/Series Number

N447SA

PIPER

PA 31-325/325
Amateur Built Aircraft? No

Type of Aircraft: Airplane

Injury Summary:

Fatal

Revenue Sightseeing Flight: No

Serious

Minor

None

Air Medical Transport Flight: No

Narrative
Brief narrative statement of facts, conditions and circumstances pertinent to the accident/incident:

*** Note: NTSB investigators either traveled in support of this investigation or conducted a
significant amount of investigative work without any travel, and used data obtained from various
sources to prepare this aircraft accident report. ***
On August 14, 2016, about 1120 central daylight time, a Piper PA-31-325, N447SA, was substantially
damaged when it impacted terrain near Northport, Alabama, while diverting to Tuscaloosa Regional
Airport (TCL), Tuscaloosa, Alabama. The private pilot and five passengers were fatally injured. Day
visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight plan was filed for the personal
flight. The flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The flight departed Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM), Orlando, Florida, around 0855, with an intended
destination of Oxford University Airport (UOX), Oxford, Mississippi.
According to fuel receipts, the airplane's fuel tanks were "topped off" with 134 gallons of fuel prior
to departing ISM.
According to preliminary air traffic control data, the pilot reported a failure of a fuel pump and
requested a diversion to the nearest airport around 1111. The controller the provided radar vectors
toward runway 30 at TCL. When the airplane was approximately 10 miles from TCL, the pilot reported
that the airplane lost "the other fuel pump." The airplane continued to descend until it impacted
trees approximately 1,650 feet prior to the approach end of runway 30.
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate
with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most
recent third-class medical certificate was issued in August 2014. According to a flight log found in
the airplane, the pilot had accumulated 48.7 hours of flight time in the accident airplane since March
2016.
According to FAA records, the airplane was manufactured in 1984, and issued an airworthiness
certificate in 1998. It was equipped with two Lycoming TIO-540-series, 350- horsepower, engines. It
was also equipped with two 4-bladed Hartzell controllable pitch propellers. The most recent annual
inspection was performed on November 13, 2015, and at that time the airplane had accumulated 3,260.8
total hours of time in service.
The airplane impacted trees, the ground, and came to rest in an upright position. The wreckage was
oriented on a 011 degree magnetic heading, the debris path was oriented on a 300 degree magnetic
heading, and was approximately 250 feet in length.

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National Transportation Safety Board

NTSB ID: ERA16FA289

PRELIMINARY REPORT

Occurrence Date: 08/14/2016

AVIATION

Occurrence Type: Accident

Narrative (Continued)
All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene.
The fuselage was separated prior to the aft bulkhead and was heavily damaged by impact and a post
impact fire. Flight control continuity was confirmed from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit
through multiple overload fractures. Examination of the cockpit and cabin areas revealed that both
control yokes were attached to their respective columns at the time of impact and that the throttle,
mixture, and propeller levers were intact in the throttle quadrant, and in the full forward position.
The left engine was separated from the nacelle and remained attached to the engine mounts. The left
engine turbocharger was removed from the engine and examined. The turbocharger vanes rotated without
resistance. There was no rotational scoring on the housing unit. The left propeller remained attached
to the left engine, was in the unfeathered position, and was rotated by hand. Crankshaft continuity
was confirmed from the propeller to the accessory section of the engine. Thumb compression and suction
were observed on all cylinders when the propeller was rotated.
The right engine remained attached to all engine mounts but was separated from the right nacelle. All
major components remained attached to the engine. The right engine turbocharger was removed and
examined. The right turbocharger vanes rotated without resistance. There was no rotational scoring on
the housing unit. The right propeller remained attached to the right engine, in the unfeathered
position, and was rotated by hand. Crankshaft continuity was confirmed from the propeller to the
accessory section of the engine. Thumb compression and suction were observed on Nos. 1, 2, 4, and 6,
cylinders. The No. 5 cylinder was impact damaged. The No. 3 cylinder was removed from the engine and
no anomalies were noted with the cylinder, piston, or piston rings.
An engine data monitor and fuel flow meter gauge were found in the main wreckage area, retained for
further examination. The left engine gear driven fuel pump, the right engine gear driven fuel pump,
the right boost pump, and the right emergency pump were also retained for further examination.
The 1121 recorded weather observation at TCL included wind from 170 at 10 knots, gusting to 14 knots,
visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 2,600 feet above ground level, broken clouds at 3,600 feet
above ground level, temperature 30 degrees C, dew point 25 degrees C, and a barometric altimeter
setting of 30.09 inches of mercury.
Updated on Aug 24 2016 8:55AM

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National Transportation Safety Board

PRELIMINARY REPORT
AVIATION

NTSB ID: ERA16FA289

Occurrence Date: 08/14/2016
Occurrence Type: Accident

Other Aircraft Involved

Registration Number

Model/Series Number

Aircraft Manufacturer

Accident Information
Aircraft Damage:

Crew
Pilot

Accident Occurred During: Approach-IFR final approach

Substantial

Certificate No.

Name

On File

Injury

On File

Fatal

2
3
4
5
6

Operator Information
Name

Doing Business As

Operator Designator Code

Jason Farese
Street Address

City

State

Zip Code

Oxford

MS

38655

-Type of Certificate(s) Held: None

Air Carrier Operating Certificate(s):

Operator Certificate:

Operating Certificate:
Regulation Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Operations Conducted: Personal

Flight Plan/Itinerary
Type of Flight Plan Filed: IFR
Last Departure Point

ORLANDO
Destination

State

Airport Identifier

FL

ISM

State

MS

OXFORD

Airport Identifier

UOX

Weather Information
Investigator's Source: Weather Observation Facility
Sky/Lowest Cloud Condition: Scattered
Lowest Ceiling: Broken

Observation Time (Local): 1121

Facility ID: TCL

2600 Ft. AGL

3600 Ft. AGL

Visibility:

10

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION - SUBJECT TO CHANGE

SM

Altimeter:

30.09

"Hg
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National Transportation Safety Board

NTSB ID: ERA16FA289

PRELIMINARY REPORT

Occurrence Date: 08/14/2016

AVIATION
Weather Information
Temperature:
Wind Speed: 10

Occurrence Type: Accident

(Continued from page 2)

30 C
Kts.

Dew Point:
Gusts: 14

25 C

Wind Direction: 170

Kts.

Weather Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions

Administration Data
Date

Notification From

FAA Southern ROC

FAA District Office/Coordinator

FAA/FSDO
Robert Bullock

Investigator-In-Charge (IIC)

Heidi Moats

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