Accident Overview
A witness reported hearing a loud engine noise as a bright yellow airplane began its takeoff from a private grass airstrip. Seconds later, the noise stopped, and the witness turned to see the airplane crash. The pilot, who had accumulated over 23,000 hours of flight experience according to FAA medical records, sustained critical injuries including a broken eye socket, broken cheekbone, bruises on the brain, and possible broken vertebrae. The aircraft was not equipped with shoulder harnesses.
Scene Examination
A Sheriff's Deputy arrived at the scene approximately 30 minutes after the accident. He observed that the temperature was below freezing, the sun was shining, and a heavy layer of frost covered the ground. Frost was melting off the aircraft, and water was dripping onto the ground. The deputy noted that it had rained heavily in the past several days and was told the airplane had been parked outside.
On February 17, 2006, an FAA inspector and a representative of the airplane's manufacturer examined the wreckage. The airplane was located approximately 500 feet west of the departure end of runway 17, a private 1,600-foot-long grass strip. The fuselage was nose down, with both wings bent forward and compression damage to both outboard leading edges. The right wing root attachment points had separated, while the wing strut attachment points remained secure. The empennage was broken aft of the cabin area and rotated 90 degrees toward the right wing; the right horizontal stabilizer was holding the back portion of the fuselage off the ground.
Mechanical and Engine Findings
The airplane had undergone an STC engine conversion to a Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower engine. During the post-accident examination, investigators found water in the carburetor and approximately 1–2 tablespoons of frozen water in the fuel strainer. Minimal rotational signatures were noted on the propeller.
Pilot Interview
Due to the serious nature of the pilot's injuries, he was not interviewed, and a written statement was never obtained.