Accident Circumstances
The airplane impacted the terrain in an open field. There were no known witnesses to the accident. The pilot's wife reported that she last saw him between 1120 and 1130 on the day of the accident. The pilot had told her that he was going to fly and that this was probably going to be his last flight in the airplane as he was preparing to sell it. The pilot kept the airplane in a building on his farm and routinely used a gravel road near the farm for taking off and landing. One of the pilot's neighbors reported that he saw the pilot around 1130 in the building where he kept the airplane. He stated they waved to each other, but did not speak. This same neighbor found the wreckage in the field, which was located about half a mile from the pilot's farm.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted the terrain in a nose-down attitude and bounced about 15 feet prior to coming to rest. The propeller and left main gear were located at the initial point of impact with the terrain. The underside of the leading edges of both wings were crushed at a near 45-degree angle. Both fuel tanks were ruptured. Aileron, elevator, and rudder flight control continuity was established, however the rudder cables were bound up under the cockpit flooring due to impact damage. The propeller hub was separated from the engine and was buried approximately 12 inches deep in the ground at the initial impact site. Both blades were twisted and remained attached to the hub.
Post-Accident Examination
Post-accident inspection of the airplane and engine failed to reveal any failure or malfunction which would have resulted in the accident.
Pilot Background
The pilot was denied a medical certificate due to a history of malignant melanoma with metastasis. According to the pilot's wife, he was recently informed that the cancer had spread and he had four to six months to live.