What happened
On February 8, 2008, an experimental Wooters Lancair ES, registration N329BW, crashed approximately 4 miles northeast of Albany Municipal Airport in Albany, Oregon. The flight departed from McNary Field in Salem, Oregon, destined for Klamath Falls Airport.
At approximately 10:12 AM, air traffic controllers advised the crew of reports regarding moderate-mixed icing between 10,000 and 12,000 feet. Shortly after, the aircraft declared an emergency via radio. Radar data showed the aircraft climbing through 10,400 feet before contact was lost at 10:18 AM. A witness near the site observed the aircraft emerge from a cloud layer at 2,000 feet in a clockwise corkscrew pattern with a 45-degree descent angle before impacting the ground.
The crash resulted in 3 fatal injuries, claiming the lives of the pilot in the right seat, the pilot/owner in the left seat, and a passenger.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found the aircraft sustained substantial damage from the impact. All control surfaces remained attached, and the engine was found buried in soft, muddy terrain. Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Data retrieved from the aircraft's Chelton navigation system showed the engine was operating at 2,600 rpm for most of the flight. At 10:18:04, the engine revolutions decreased to 2,000 rpm, followed by a reading of 1,600 rpm 14 seconds later. During the final portion of the flight, the descent rate increased to 10,000 feet per minute, and airspeed increased from 100 knots to approximately 160 knots. The final 45 seconds of recorded data showed significant fluctuations in pitch, bank, and vertical acceleration.