Dr. William “Bill” Leeds - Pilot Receiving InstructionBill was a lifelong learner. He enjoyed flying, fishing with his wife and brother, spending time with the family pets, and damaging his home with tools, which he had no earthly idea how to use.
James Kevin Bergman - Flight InstructorKevin was an avid pilot and loved traveling, flying and spending time with his children and family. He was a leading member of the KC Adventure Group and the flight club, Four Men and a Plane.
The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Wichita, Kansas
Lycoming; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, Florida
Aviation Accident Final Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
Investigation Docket - National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms
http://registry.faa.gov/N22HW
Location: Topeka, KS
Accident Number: CEN17FA297
Date & Time: 07/31/2017, 2030 CDT
Registration: N22HW
Aircraft: PIPER PA30
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
Analysis
The private pilot had been receiving multiengine instruction from the flight instructor in order to obtain a multiengine rating. The accident flight was a practice checkride for the pilot's practical test that was scheduled for the following day. A witness stated that, during the accident takeoff from runway 18, the airplane passed the airport terminal building at a "very low" altitude and stated that it was not climbing very fast. The airplane then turned left and appeared to enter a normal traffic pattern. The witness did not see the accident occur. The airplane came to rest on airport property west of the threshold of runway 18. Data from an onboard engine monitor indicated that right engine power was reduced about 7 minutes before the end of the data, consistent with simulated single-engine operation. The left engine power was then reduced about 2.5 minutes before the data ended, consistent with simulated dual-engine loss of power; however, data was consistent with power being restored and both engines operating normally for about the final minute of the flight.
The damage to the airplane was consistent with a low-speed impact in a left-wing-low and shallow pitch attitude. The left and right propellers displayed S-shaped bending and leading edge polishing consistent with operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal airplane operation.
Autopsy of the pilot receiving instruction revealed evidence of severe coronary artery disease, which could cause sudden impairment or incapacitation; however, if that occurred, the flight instructor should have been able to successfully complete the flight. Therefore, it is unlikely the pilot's heart disease contributed to the accident. Toxicology of the pilot revealed the presence of an antidepressant, indicating some degree of underlying depression; however, the flight instructor should have been able to compensate if the pilot had slowed responses to checkride scenarios.
Probable Cause and Findings
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The failure of the pilot and flight instructor to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in the traffic pattern.
Findings
Aircraft
Performance/control parameters - Not attained/maintained (Cause)
Factual Information
History of Flight
Approach-VFR pattern base
Loss of control in flight (Defining event)
Uncontrolled descent
Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
On July 31, 2017, about 2030 central daylight time, a Piper PA-30 airplane, N22HW, impacted terrain at Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP), Topeka, Kansas. The private pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The airplane was privately owned and was being operated by the private pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from TOP.
The pilot had been receiving instruction from the flight instructor in order to obtain an airplane multiengine land rating. The pilot's practical test (checkride) was scheduled for the next day, and the accident flight was a practice checkride.
A witness stated that the pilot and flight instructor arrived separately at the TOP fixed base operator lobby about 1920. The pilot and flight instructor discussed the training flight and the airplane logbooks before departing for the hangar where the airplane was kept. The witness then heard the pilots make a radio transmission that the airplane was taxiing to runway 18 for takeoff. He subsequently saw the airplane pass the terminal building during the accident takeoff "very low and not climbing very fast." The airplane then turned left and appeared to conduct a normal traffic pattern. He did not witness the accident.
A plot of engine parameters from the accident flight revealed left and right engine fuel flows that were approximately equivalent until about 7 minutes before the end of the recording, when the right engine fuel flow decreased from about 15 gallons per hour (gph) to about 3 gph. About 2.5 minutes before the end of the recording, the left engine fuel flow decreased to about 3 gph. About 1 minute before the end of the recording, both engine fuel flows increased to about 15 gph.
The airplane came to rest near the approach end of runway 13 at TOP, west of the runway 18 threshold.
Student Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present:Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: BasicMed
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/12/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/08/2016
Flight Time: 945 hours (Total, all aircraft)
Flight Instructor Information
Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 55, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s):None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s):
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/02/2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/18/2017
Flight Time: 1386 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1281 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)
Pilot Receiving Instruction
The pilot, age 61, reported 750 total hours of flight experience on the application for his most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate, which was issued June 15, 2015, with a limitation that he have available glasses for near vision. He did not report using any medications. This medical certificate expired for all classes on June 30, 2017. The pilot had completed the BasicMed education and certification process; however, the pilot was a physician and had filled out the physician attestation and had his registered nurse sign the form.
Review of the pilot's logbook indicated that the pilot's first training flight in the accident airplane with the accident flight instructor occurred on May 13, 2017. The last two flights were dated July 9 and July 10, 2017, in the accident airplane with the accident flight instructor and were annotated in the logbook as "multiengine test prep." The logbook contained an entry by the flight instructor dated July 10 stating that the pilot received the required training for an airplane multiengine land rating and was prepared for an airplane multiengine land practical test.
Flight Instructor
The flight instructor, age 55, was issued an FAA third class medical certificate on July 2, 2015, with a limitation that he wear corrective lenses. He had reported having hypertension since 2010 and at his last exam reported the use of hydrochlorothiazide and captopril to treat it. Neither of these two blood pressure medications are considered impairing.
The flight instructor who provided the accident flight instructor's most recent flight review stated that the accident flight instructor performed well during the flight but seemed to display some complacency toward reference airspeeds and that his landing approach was unstable and flown at too high an airspeed. The instructor stated that he warned him about such an attitude and told him he wanted to see improvement on an instrument proficiency check that was planned for a later date. The instructor believed he saw improvement on the subsequent instrument proficiency check.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N22HW
Model/Series: PA30
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:1965
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 30-791
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/26/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 95 Hours
Engines: 2 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5506.71 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-320-B1A
Registered Owner: Individual
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: Individual
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
The most recent annual inspection of the airplane and engines, dated August 26, 2016, occurred at an aircraft total time of 5,411.3 hours and a Hobbs time of 642.2 hours. The Hobbs meter at the accident site indicated 737.61 hours.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light:Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TOP, 881 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1953 CDT
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 10000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.11 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Topeka, KS (TOP)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Topeka, KS (TOP)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: CDT
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 881 ft
Runway Surface Condition:
Runway Used: 18
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4331 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 39.068611, -95.622500 (est)
The wreckage was located between runway 13 and taxiway B on a magnetic heading about 125°. The airplane's wing flaps and landing gear were retracted. The left wing exhibited greater relative impact damage than the right wing and leading-edge crushing was consistent with a low-speed impact in a left wing-low and shallow pitch attitude.
The left and right propellers remained attached and secured to their respective crankshaft flanges. Both propellers displayed S-bending and leading-edge polishing consistent with torsion.
The left and right wings were attached and secure to the wing center section and fuselage. The left and right wings, empennage, and their respective control surfaces were attached and secure. Examination of the flight control system confirmed flight control continuity from the ailerons, stabilator, and rudder to their respective cockpit controls. Control continuity from the aileron and stabilator trim tabs was confirmed to the cockpit controls. The stabilator trim and rudder trim jack screws were in neutral positions.
There was no evidence of fire or soot on the wreckage and at the accident site.
An odor consistent with aviation fuel was present at the accident site and fuel drained from the wreckage during the airplane's recovery. Fuel was present in the fuel system. The fuel system was not obstructed by debris and testing of fuel within the system was negative for water.
The cockpit throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were in the forward position. Throttle and mixture control continuity was confirmed for both engines. Both fuel selectors were in the MAIN position.
Ignition timing of the left engine left and right magnetos were both 24° before top center (BTC). The right engine left magneto timing was 24° BTC and the right magneto timing was 25° BTC. The engines' data plate specifications for timing listed 25° BTC. The left and right engine magnetos produced an electrical spark through each lead in correct sequence when their magneto drive shafts were rotated through by hand.
Both engines' top spark plugs displayed features consistent with normal combustion.
The left engine was rotated using the vacuum pump accessory drive gear, and the right engine was rotated using the propeller. Both engine drive and valve train continuity to the accessory section was confirmed.
The propeller governor screens of both engines were free of debris.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical And Pathological Information
Pilot Receiving Instruction
According to the autopsy performed at the request of the Shawnee County Coroner, Topeka, Kansas, the cause of death was blunt force injuries. Significant coronary artery disease with up to 80% stenosis of the left anterior descending, 50% stenosis of the left circumflex, and 20% stenosis of the right coronary arteries was noted; however, the remainder of the cardiac examination was unremarkable and there was no evidence of previous ischemia or scar.
Toxicology testing for drugs of abuse by Axis Forensic Laboratory at the request of the coroner was negative. Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified citalopram, its metabolite N-desmethylcitalopram, and metoprolol in cavity blood and urine.
Citalopram is an antidepressant. While it is not generally considered impairing, the underlying depression can cause significant cognitive impairment. As a result, the FAA requires pilots with depression who require treatment with medication to ensure their depression is adequately treated and have their cognition evaluated before a medical certificate is issued. Metoprolol is a blood pressure medication that can also lower the risk of recurrent heart attack for patients who have already had one heart attack; it is not generally considered impairing.
Flight Instructor
According to the autopsy performed at the request of the Shawnee County Coroner, Topeka, Kansas, the cause of death was blunt force injuries. No significant natural disease was identified.
Toxicology testing for drugs of abuse by Axis Forensic Laboratory at the request of the coroner was negative. Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory did not identify any tested-for drugs.
Additional Information
The airplane was equipped with a J.P. Instruments EDM-760, which was a panel-mounted gauge that allowed for the monitoring and recording of up to 24 parameters related to engine operations. The EDM-760 was downloaded by the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorder Division.
A plot of engine parameters from the accident flight beginning of the recording showed a left and right engine fuel flows that were approximately equivalent until about 7 minutes prior to the end of the recording when the left and right engine had fuel flows of about 15 gallons per hour (GPH) and the right engine fuel flow decrease to about 3 gallons per hour. About 2 ½ minutes prior to the end of the recording, the left engine fuel flow decreased to about 3 GPH. About 1 minute prior to the end of the recording both engine fuel flows increase to about 15 GPH. There were corresponding changes in fuel flow in left and right engine cylinder head temperatures.
An employee of the pilot's business stated that the pilot had "expressed a lot of frustration" in the previous weeks about his multiengine airplane training. The pilot told her that during flight training, the flight instructor had him practice a lot of "engine stalls," and if the engine stalls and you don't react quick enough, then you "end up in a spiral." She thought that the pilot was interested in purchasing the accident airplane, but she did not know what the arrangement was for its use was between the pilot and the airplane owner.
A friend of the student pilot and accident flight instructor stated that the pilot was probably the accident flight instructor's first multiengine student. He stated that the pilot had begun to complain to him that the flight instructor took too many risks and made him nervous, particularly with single-engine work during the training. The pilot was upset that the flight instructor would not sign him off for the checkride, and the flight instructor wanted one more simulated checkride before the actual checkride.
The friend stated that the pilot told him he would take the one more training session with the accident flight instructor and then he would never have to fly with him again. The National Transportation Safety Board traveled to the scene of this accident.
Additional Participating Entities:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Wichita, Kansas
Lycoming; Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Piper Aircraft; Vero Beach, Florida
Aviation Accident Factual Report - National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf
http://registry.faa.gov/N22HW
Location: Topeka, KS
Accident Number: CEN17FA297
Date & Time: 07/31/2017, 2030 CDT
Registration: N22HW
Aircraft: PIPER PA30
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Defining Event: Loss of control in flight
Injuries: 2 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General Aviation - Instructional
On July 31, 2017, about 2030 central daylight time, a Piper PA-30 airplane, N22HW, impacted terrain at Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP), Topeka, Kansas. The private pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The airplane was privately owned and was being operated by the private pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from TOP.
The pilot had been receiving instruction from the flight instructor in order to obtain an airplane multiengine land rating. The pilot's practical test (checkride) was scheduled for the next day, and the accident flight was a practice checkride.
A witness stated that the pilot and flight instructor arrived separately at the TOP fixed base operator lobby about 1920. The pilot and flight instructor discussed the training flight and the airplane logbooks before departing for the hangar where the airplane was kept. The witness then heard the pilots make a radio transmission that the airplane was taxiing to runway 18 for takeoff. He subsequently saw the airplane pass the terminal building during the accident takeoff "very low and not climbing very fast." The airplane then turned left and appeared to conduct a normal traffic pattern. He did not witness the accident.
A plot of engine parameters from the accident flight revealed left and right engine fuel flows that were approximately equivalent until about 7 minutes before the end of the recording, when the right engine fuel flow decreased from about 15 gallons per hour (gph) to about 3 gph. About 2.5 minutes before the end of the recording, the left engine fuel flow decreased to about 3 gph. About 1 minute before the end of the recording, both engine fuel flows increased to about 15 gph.
The airplane came to rest near the approach end of runway 13 at TOP, west of the runway 18 threshold.
Student Pilot Information
Certificate: Private
Age: 61, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Left
Other Aircraft Rating(s): None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present:Yes
Instructor Rating(s): None
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: BasicMed
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/12/2017
Occupational Pilot: No
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 05/08/2016
Flight Time: 945 hours (Total, all aircraft)
Flight Instructor Information
Certificate: Flight Instructor; Commercial
Age: 55, Male
Airplane Rating(s): Multi-engine Land; Single-engine Land
Seat Occupied: Right
Other Aircraft Rating(s):None
Restraint Used:
Instrument Rating(s): Airplane
Second Pilot Present: Yes
Instructor Rating(s):
Toxicology Performed: Yes
Medical Certification: Class 3 With Waivers/Limitations
Last FAA Medical Exam: 07/02/2015
Occupational Pilot: Yes
Last Flight Review or Equivalent: 03/18/2017
Flight Time: 1386 hours (Total, all aircraft), 1281 hours (Pilot In Command, all aircraft)
Pilot Receiving Instruction
The pilot, age 61, reported 750 total hours of flight experience on the application for his most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate, which was issued June 15, 2015, with a limitation that he have available glasses for near vision. He did not report using any medications. This medical certificate expired for all classes on June 30, 2017. The pilot had completed the BasicMed education and certification process; however, the pilot was a physician and had filled out the physician attestation and had his registered nurse sign the form.
Review of the pilot's logbook indicated that the pilot's first training flight in the accident airplane with the accident flight instructor occurred on May 13, 2017. The last two flights were dated July 9 and July 10, 2017, in the accident airplane with the accident flight instructor and were annotated in the logbook as "multiengine test prep." The logbook contained an entry by the flight instructor dated July 10 stating that the pilot received the required training for an airplane multiengine land rating and was prepared for an airplane multiengine land practical test.
Flight Instructor
The flight instructor, age 55, was issued an FAA third class medical certificate on July 2, 2015, with a limitation that he wear corrective lenses. He had reported having hypertension since 2010 and at his last exam reported the use of hydrochlorothiazide and captopril to treat it. Neither of these two blood pressure medications are considered impairing.
The flight instructor who provided the accident flight instructor's most recent flight review stated that the accident flight instructor performed well during the flight but seemed to display some complacency toward reference airspeeds and that his landing approach was unstable and flown at too high an airspeed. The instructor stated that he warned him about such an attitude and told him he wanted to see improvement on an instrument proficiency check that was planned for a later date. The instructor believed he saw improvement on the subsequent instrument proficiency check.
Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information
Aircraft Make: PIPER
Registration: N22HW
Model/Series: PA30
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Year of Manufacture:1965
Amateur Built: Yes
Airworthiness Certificate: Normal
Serial Number: 30-791
Landing Gear Type: Retractable - Tricycle
Seats: 4
Date/Type of Last Inspection: 08/26/2016, Annual
Certified Max Gross Wt.: 3600 lbs
Time Since Last Inspection: 95 Hours
Engines: 2 Reciprocating
Airframe Total Time: 5506.71 Hours at time of accident
Engine Manufacturer: Lycoming
ELT: Installed, not activated
Engine Model/Series: IO-320-B1A
Registered Owner: Individual
Rated Power: 160 hp
Operator: Individual
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
The most recent annual inspection of the airplane and engines, dated August 26, 2016, occurred at an aircraft total time of 5,411.3 hours and a Hobbs time of 642.2 hours. The Hobbs meter at the accident site indicated 737.61 hours.
Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: Visual Conditions
Condition of Light:Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TOP, 881 ft msl
Distance from Accident Site: 0 Nautical Miles
Observation Time: 1953 CDT
Direction from Accident Site:
Lowest Cloud Condition: Clear
Visibility: 10 Miles
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 10000 ft agl
Visibility (RVR):
Wind Speed/Gusts: Calm /
Turbulence Type Forecast/Actual: None / None
Wind Direction:
Turbulence Severity Forecast/Actual: N/A / N/A
Altimeter Setting: 30.11 inches Hg
Temperature/Dew Point: 24°C / 18°C
Precipitation and Obscuration: No Obscuration; No Precipitation
Departure Point: Topeka, KS (TOP)
Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Destination: Topeka, KS (TOP)
Type of Clearance: VFR
Departure Time: CDT
Type of Airspace:
Airport Information
Airport: Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP)
Runway Surface Type: Asphalt
Airport Elevation: 881 ft
Runway Surface Condition:
Runway Used: 18
IFR Approach: None
Runway Length/Width: 4331 ft / 75 ft
VFR Approach/Landing:
Wreckage and Impact Information
Crew Injuries: 2 Fatal
Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 2 Fatal
Latitude, Longitude: 39.068611, -95.622500 (est)
The wreckage was located between runway 13 and taxiway B on a magnetic heading about 125°. The airplane's wing flaps and landing gear were retracted. The left wing exhibited greater relative impact damage than the right wing and leading-edge crushing was consistent with a low-speed impact in a left wing-low and shallow pitch attitude.
The left and right propellers remained attached and secured to their respective crankshaft flanges. Both propellers displayed S-bending and leading-edge polishing consistent with torsion.
The left and right wings were attached and secure to the wing center section and fuselage. The left and right wings, empennage, and their respective control surfaces were attached and secure. Examination of the flight control system confirmed flight control continuity from the ailerons, stabilator, and rudder to their respective cockpit controls. Control continuity from the aileron and stabilator trim tabs was confirmed to the cockpit controls. The stabilator trim and rudder trim jack screws were in neutral positions.
There was no evidence of fire or soot on the wreckage and at the accident site.
An odor consistent with aviation fuel was present at the accident site and fuel drained from the wreckage during the airplane's recovery. Fuel was present in the fuel system. The fuel system was not obstructed by debris and testing of fuel within the system was negative for water.
The cockpit throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were in the forward position. Throttle and mixture control continuity was confirmed for both engines. Both fuel selectors were in the MAIN position.
Ignition timing of the left engine left and right magnetos were both 24° before top center (BTC). The right engine left magneto timing was 24° BTC and the right magneto timing was 25° BTC. The engines' data plate specifications for timing listed 25° BTC. The left and right engine magnetos produced an electrical spark through each lead in correct sequence when their magneto drive shafts were rotated through by hand.
Both engines' top spark plugs displayed features consistent with normal combustion.
The left engine was rotated using the vacuum pump accessory drive gear, and the right engine was rotated using the propeller. Both engine drive and valve train continuity to the accessory section was confirmed.
The propeller governor screens of both engines were free of debris.
Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical And Pathological Information
Pilot Receiving Instruction
According to the autopsy performed at the request of the Shawnee County Coroner, Topeka, Kansas, the cause of death was blunt force injuries. Significant coronary artery disease with up to 80% stenosis of the left anterior descending, 50% stenosis of the left circumflex, and 20% stenosis of the right coronary arteries was noted; however, the remainder of the cardiac examination was unremarkable and there was no evidence of previous ischemia or scar.
Toxicology testing for drugs of abuse by Axis Forensic Laboratory at the request of the coroner was negative. Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified citalopram, its metabolite N-desmethylcitalopram, and metoprolol in cavity blood and urine.
Citalopram is an antidepressant. While it is not generally considered impairing, the underlying depression can cause significant cognitive impairment. As a result, the FAA requires pilots with depression who require treatment with medication to ensure their depression is adequately treated and have their cognition evaluated before a medical certificate is issued. Metoprolol is a blood pressure medication that can also lower the risk of recurrent heart attack for patients who have already had one heart attack; it is not generally considered impairing.
Flight Instructor
According to the autopsy performed at the request of the Shawnee County Coroner, Topeka, Kansas, the cause of death was blunt force injuries. No significant natural disease was identified.
Toxicology testing for drugs of abuse by Axis Forensic Laboratory at the request of the coroner was negative. Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory did not identify any tested-for drugs.
Additional Information
The airplane was equipped with a J.P. Instruments EDM-760, which was a panel-mounted gauge that allowed for the monitoring and recording of up to 24 parameters related to engine operations. The EDM-760 was downloaded by the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorder Division.
A plot of engine parameters from the accident flight beginning of the recording showed a left and right engine fuel flows that were approximately equivalent until about 7 minutes prior to the end of the recording when the left and right engine had fuel flows of about 15 gallons per hour (GPH) and the right engine fuel flow decrease to about 3 gallons per hour. About 2 ½ minutes prior to the end of the recording, the left engine fuel flow decreased to about 3 GPH. About 1 minute prior to the end of the recording both engine fuel flows increase to about 15 GPH. There were corresponding changes in fuel flow in left and right engine cylinder head temperatures.
An employee of the pilot's business stated that the pilot had "expressed a lot of frustration" in the previous weeks about his multiengine airplane training. The pilot told her that during flight training, the flight instructor had him practice a lot of "engine stalls," and if the engine stalls and you don't react quick enough, then you "end up in a spiral." She thought that the pilot was interested in purchasing the accident airplane, but she did not know what the arrangement was for its use was between the pilot and the airplane owner.
A friend of the student pilot and accident flight instructor stated that the pilot was probably the accident flight instructor's first multiengine student. He stated that the pilot had begun to complain to him that the flight instructor took too many risks and made him nervous, particularly with single-engine work during the training. The pilot was upset that the flight instructor would not sign him off for the checkride, and the flight instructor wanted one more simulated checkride before the actual checkride.
The friend stated that the pilot told him he would take the one more training session with the accident flight instructor and then he would never have to fly with him again.
NTSB Identification: CEN17FA297
14 CFR Part 103: Ultralight
Accident occurred Monday, July 31, 2017 in Topeka, KS
Aircraft: PIPER PA30, registration: N22HW
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed. 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 July 31, 2017, about 2030, a Piper PA-30, N22HW, impacted terrain at Philip Billard Municipal Airport (TOP), Topeka, Kansas. The student pilot and the flight instructor sustained fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces. The airplane was operated by a private individual who was the the registered owner of the airplane, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as in instructional flight that was not operating on a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight originated from TOP.
The student pilot had been receiving flight instruction from the flight instructor toward the addition of a multi-engine land airplane rating onto his private pilot certificate, which had a single engine landing and instrument rating. The accident flight was a practice multi-engine check ride for the student pilot's examination that was scheduled the following day.
A witness stated that the flight had used runway 18 for takeoff and landing prior to the accident takeoff, which was from runway 18. The witness stated that as the airplane passed the airport terminal building, it was very low in altitude and not climbing very fast. The airplane turned east and into the left-hand airport traffic pattern. The witness did not see the airplane impact the terrain.
The airplane wreckage was located between runway 13 and taxiway B, near the approach end of runway 13. The tail-to-nose heading of the wreckage was about 125 degrees. The airplane's wing flaps and landing gear were retracted. The airplane exhibited damage consistent with a low-speed impact in a left wing-low and shallow pitch attitude.
Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Dr. William “Bill” LeedsFriends and family continued to remember the life and legacy of James Bergman, who was killed in a plane crash in Topeka.OLATHE, KS (KCTV) - Friends and family continued to remember the life and legacy of James Bergman, who was killed in a plane crash in Topeka on Monday.
Bergman, known to friends and family by his middle name "Kevin," had spent more than a decade in the air.
"He has an amazing legacy," said Scott Bergman, the younger brother of James. "I have an amazing lead to follow."
James Bergman spent his days working in tech, but his passions were flying and traveling.
"He really enjoyed giving back to others and just bringing that delight to people," Scott Bergman said. "He was the type of person that if you were at a party, and you wanted to go flying? Let's go."
Bergman and Bill Leeds were flying out of Topeka with Bergman as the co-pilot. Leeds, preparing to get his twin-engine certification that week, ended up crashing.
Now as the family works to pick up the pieces, they focus on the legacy he left behind.
"He lived an amazing life, and the word no boundaries for him," Bergman said. "There were a lot of people who talk about working inside of the box and for Kevin, the box did not exist."
A funeral has been planned for the weekend. The family also hopes to raise some funds to donate to a charity.
Story and video: http://www.kctv5.com
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – Memorial services will take place this Friday for a Topeka doctor who was killed in a plane crash this week.
Dr. William “Bill” Leeds, 61, a pulmonary specialist in Topeka, died Monday night in a plane crash near Billard Airport. James Bergman, 55, of Leawood, was also killed in the crash.
Memorial services for Leeds will take place at 11:00 a.m. Friday at the Temple Beth Sholom, located at 4200 SW Munson, in Topeka. Inurnment will follow at Mount Hope Cemetery.
According to his obituary, Leeds was born on October 17, 1955, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Florida State University and went on to attend Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine and Surgery. He founded Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine in 1999.
His family says he “Enjoyed flying, fishing with his wife and brother, spending time with the family pets, and damaging his home with tools, which he had no earthly idea how to use.”
Instead of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Temple Beth Sholom, 4200 SW Munson, Topeka, KS 66604 or Safe Harbor Prison Dogs, P.O. Box 536, Bonner Springs, KS 66012.
http://ksnt.com
Topeka physician was flying a small plane with a Leawood flight instructor on board when the plane crashed Monday evening in Topeka, killing them both.
The Kansas Highway Patrol identified the men as William M. Leeds, 61, of Topeka and James K. Bergman, 55, of Leawood.
The highway patrol originally identified Leeds as 76 and from Mission. A dispatcher said the initial information was incorrect because the scene of the crash was chaotic.
The plane, a 1965 Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche multi-engine aircraft, crashed about 8:15 p.m. north of Philip Billard Municipal Airport, according to a preliminary crash report from the Highway Patrol.
The aircraft was headed northwest at the time of the crash and appears to have missed the runway and struck the ground at high speeds. The plane came to rest in a grassy field between the runway and the taxi road to the airport terminal, according to the Highway Patrol.
Bergman was a flight instructor who held commercial and flight instructor pilot licenses.
Leeds was the pilot, the highway patrol dispatcher said.
Leeds was a critical care pulmonologist at Pulmonary & Sleep Associates in Topeka. He treated patients with pulmonary illnesses and sleep disorders.
He frequently treated patients at satellite clinics in Onaga, Parsons, Burlington and Garden City, Kansas.
Leeds loved being a doctor, said Hope Biggs, the operations manager at Pulmonary & Sleep Associates.
He started the practice, originally called Topeka Pulmonary, in 1998.
“His saying was, when he stops loving what he’s doing, he will quit practicing,” Biggs said.
Biggs said he would tease his patients: “It’s not about you, it’s about me. As long as you’re getting better, I’m happy. You have to get better, because it’s about me.”
http://www.kansascity.com
William M. Leeds, a Topeka pulmonary doctor, was piloting the Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche when it went down, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Two men — one of whom was a well-known Topeka physician — were identified early Tuesday as the victims of Monday night’s fatal plane crash near Philip Billard Municipal Airport in northeast Topeka.
William M. Leeds, a Topeka pulmonary doctor, 61, was piloting the 1965 Piper PA-30 fixed wing multi-engine airplane when it went down, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.
The plane’s co-pilot was identified as James K. Bergman, 55, of Leawood. Officials said Bergman was a flight instructor.
Both men were pronounced dead at the scene shortly after the crash was reported at 8:27 p.m. Monday at the airport. The location of the crash was listed as 3520 N.E. Seward Avenue, just north of Billard Airport.
The Kansas Highway Patrol crash log had indicated that Leeds was 76 years of age and was from the Johnson County community of Mission. However, that information appeared to be incorrect.
His identity was confirmed Tuesday morning by Rabbi Debbie Stiel, of Temple Beth Sholom, of which Leeds was a member.
According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, which was among agencies investigating the crash, the small airplane was traveling from southeast to northwest at the time of the crash.
The patrol said the plane appeared to miss the runway, striking the ground at a high rate of speed. The plane “impacted and turned approximately 180 degrees,” coming to rest in a grass field in between the runway and the taxi road to the airport terminal.
The air traffic control tower at the airport was closed at the time of the crash because it was after hours, said Eric Johnson, director of airports for the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority.
Planes were still allowed to fly in and out of Billard Airport between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., but it is considered uncontrolled during those hours, and pilots regulate themselves, Johnson said.
In his 11 years with MTAA 11 years, Johnson said, Monday night marked the first fatality at Billard, though there have been minor incidents, such as one in July in which a Kansas Highway Patrol helicopter made what was described as a hard landing in which two people aboard suffered minor injuries.
The Federal Aviation Administration was notified of the crash Monday night. Personnel from that agency, along with the National Transportation Safety Board, were to arrive on scene Tuesday morning.
A meteorologist with the Topeka National Weather Service Office, which is located at the airport in northeast Topeka’s Oakland neighborhood, reported hearing a thud Monday evening, went outside to check and discovered a downed airplane.
Leeds, a father of three children, worked out of Pulmonary & Sleep Associates, practice located at 515 S.W. Horne.
Rabbi Stiel said Leeds was an experienced pilot, adding that his death would be a major loss not only to his family, but the entire Topeka community, where he practiced medicine for many years.
“He was just as warm a person as you could imagine,” Stiel said. “He was someone who would give you a big hug, someone who put his patients at ease by taking time to listen to them and doing whatever he could to help.
Story, video and photo gallery ► http://cjonline.com
Two people are reported dead in a small plane crash near Billard Airport.
The plane went down around 8:30 p.m. Monday in a field near the airport. The Kansas Highway Patrol told 13 NEWS two people were killed.
Those people were later identified as William Leeds of Mission, Kansas, and James Bergman of Leawood.
Leeds was a doctor with Pulmonary and Sleep Associates in Topeka. The clinic's office manager confirmed to 13 News Tuesday morning that Leeds worked at the clinic.
Kansas Highway Patrol said it is taking the lead in the investigation at the scene. Kansas Highway Patrol crash logs state Bergman as the co-pilot of the aircraft.
Staff at the National Weather Service office at Billard Airport called 911 to report the crash.
KHP crash logs state the aircraft was traveling southeast to northwest, and appeared to miss the runway, striking the ground at a high rate of speed. The plane impacted and turned about 180 degrees, where it came to rest in a grass field in between the runway and the taxi road to the airport terminal.
Eric Johnson, head of the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority, said Topeka Police, Topeka Fire, Kansas Highway Patrol and MTAA police and fire were among agencies responding. He said the Federal Aviation Administration will be notified to assist in the investigation.
Johnson said the airport's tower closes at 7 p.m., so would not have had communication with the aircraft.
A 13 NEWS search of Federal Aviation Administration records shows the aircraft was a Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche. KHP crash logs later confirmed that detail.
Story and video ► http://www.wibw.com
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Two people died in a small plane crash just after 8p.m. Monday in Shawnee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the Piper PA-30 Twin Comanche piloted by William M. Leeds, was traveling southeast to northwest. The aircraft appeared to miss the runway at Billard Municipal Airport in Topeka
The aircraft struck the ground at a high rate of speed, turned approximately 180 degrees and came to rest in a grass field in between the runway and the taxi road to the airport terminal.
Leeds and co-pilot James K. Bergman, 55, Leawood, died in the crash, according to the KHP.
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