N1403XPiper PA-32-300 · 1975

On July 3, 2022, at 2244 central daylight time, a Piper PA-32-300 airplane, N1403X, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Mt. Pleasant, Texas. The pilot and two passengers were seriously injured. The pilot-rated passenger was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

Automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the visual flight rules flight departed from the Memorial Field Airport (HOT), Hot Springs, Arkansas, about 2145, and proceeded direct to the Mt. Pleasant Regional Airport (OSA), Mt. Pleasant, Texas.

The pilot climbed to a cruise altitude of about 8,500 feet before beginning a descent about 30 miles from the destination airport. About 4 miles from OSA, the pilot entered the airport traffic pattern on a left base leg for runway 17. About 1.5 miles from the runway 17 threshold the airplane was established on final approach at 700 ft mean sea level (recorded geometric altitude). The recorded altitudes from the time the plane became established on final approach until the last ADS-B data point showed a consistent descent without any major disturbances. The final ADS-B data point was received at 2244:45 when the airplane was about 0.42 miles from the runway arrival threshold.

A witness located immediately north of the airport along the extended runway centerline reported hearing the airplane. He noted that it seemed to be right overhead when he first heard it and, approximately one second later he heard the airplane impact the trees on the opposite side of the road. He described the engine as sounding “strong” and at “maximum power,” emphasizing that the airplane seemed to be “at full throttle.” The witness also commented that the weather that night was “clear and nice.”

The pilot had logged 9.3 hours of night flight time in the 30 days before the accident. His most recent night flight occurred about 3 weeks before the accident flight. He logged three night landings during that flight.

On the day of the accident, the sun set at 2033 and civil twilight ended at 2101. The moon was in a waxing crescent phase with 19% of the visible disk illuminated. Moon transit was at 1707 and set at 2353.

The airplane impacted trees and terrain less than one-half mile from the runway 17 arrival threshold. The right wing separated, and the outboard 4-foot section was suspended in a tree about 50 ft above ground level. The wing tip was resting on the ground near the tree. Tree branches exhibiting fresh breaks were also near the initial tree strike. The remaining inboard section of the right wing was separated at the root and located along the debris path.

A ground impact path began about 160 ft from the initial tree strike and extended to the main wreckage, and the main wreckage was located about 320 ft from the initial tree strike. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, empennage, left wing, engine, and propeller. The fuselage was inverted and resting on the left wing, which was separated at the root. The main wreckage was at an approximate elevation of 385 ft msl.

An examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. The altimeter setting was 29.98 in Hg when observed during the airframe examination.

A review of position data revealed that, while on final approach, the airplane’s airspeed varied from about 74 knots to 78 knots, and the descent rate was between 280 fpm and 700 fpm. According to the airplane pilot’s operating manual, the aerodynamic stall speed was 62 knots and 55 knots with the wing flaps retracted and fully extended, respectively.