Accident Details
On April 13, 2008, at approximately 1050 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built Lancair airplane, registered as N1177M to G-KAS Aviation LLC and operated by a private pilot, collided with terrain shortly after departing runway 27L at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport (LAL) in Lakeland, Florida. The personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and a postcrash fire.
Witness Observations
Multiple witnesses provided accounts. One witness observed the pilot having difficulty closing the canopy before takeoff. During the initial climb, that witness saw the cockpit canopy moving, appearing as though the pilot was pushing it up and down by about 6 to 12 inches. Another witness reported that shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power, the airplane continued straight and level without attempting to return to the runway, then nosed down approximately 40 degrees while the left wing dropped. About 3 to 5 seconds later, a plume of smoke appeared behind a tree line. A different witness, sitting in her recreational vehicle, saw a low-wing white airplane pass overhead over her RV, disappear over the trees, and soon after a large cloud of black, gray, and white smoke rose. Simultaneously, she noticed a large clear plastic bag filled with documents floating down near her RV. The bag contained a laminated registration form for a Lancair Legacy, a laminated special airworthiness certificate, a weight and balance report, and an operating limitation report. She notified her husband, who then contacted authorities.
Pilot Information
The 44-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating, last updated on May 18, 2007. He also held a third-class medical certificate issued on August 7, 2007, with a restriction requiring corrective lenses. His most recent medical certificate indicated 234 hours of flight time. His logbook was not recovered for examination.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane was registered in 2006. It was powered by a Continental IO-550-N engine producing 310 horsepower, equipped with a Hartzell three-bladed constant-speed propeller. The airplane's logbooks were not recovered.
Weather Conditions
The nearest weather reporting station, located at LAL airport, reported at 1050: wind from 350 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 15 statute miles, broken ceiling at 3,000 feet, overcast ceiling at 10,000 feet. Temperature was 19°C, dew point 8°C, and altimeter setting 30.03 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Engine Examination
An FAA inspector examined the accident site. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude. The engine was partially separated from its mounts, and portions of the engine and most of the airframe, including the cockpit, canopy, and canopy locking mechanism, were consumed by the postimpact fire. The engine was recovered and taken to a hangar for continuity inspection. Extensive thermal and impact damage was noted. The propeller remained attached with chordwise polishing and S-bending. The crankshaft rotated freely by hand without binding, and continuity was established to cylinders, valve train, and accessory gears. However, due to thermal damage, fuel and ignition system continuity could not be verified. The inspection revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation. The electronic flight instrument system was retained for data download, but fire damage prevented any data extraction.
Medical and Toxicology
An autopsy performed on April 14, 2008, listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force traumatic injuries. Forensic toxicology found no carbon monoxide in the blood, 2.3 µg/ml of cyanide in the blood, no ethanol in the urine, and diphenhydramine in the urine but not in the blood.