Summary
On May 5, 2008, about 1700 central daylight time, an amateur-built Dickenson Bathtub, N538, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control on final approach to land on runway 03 at Broadhead Airport, Broadhead, Wisconsin. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated under 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was filed, and the local flight originated at an unconfirmed time.
History of Flight
A witness observed the airplane during its approach to the airport. He reported that as the airplane turned from base leg to final approach, the wind was drifting it toward some houses. The witness stated that the airplane's turn tightened, and then it entered a stall/spin before impacting the ground. He estimated the airplane's altitude was about 300 feet above ground level when the spin began. The witness heard no engine malfunctions and noted that the accident flight was the pilot's first flight in the airplane.
Another witness, a certified flight instructor since 1982, believed the accident was the result of a stall/spin. He noted that the engine was running fine and seemed "ok" all the way to the ground.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 77, held a Federal Aviation Administration private pilot certificate with single engine land and sea ratings. He also held a third-class medical certificate issued January 31, 2008, with a limitation requiring glasses available for near vision. FAA records indicated the pilot had accumulated a total of 1,400 flight hours as of his most recent medical examination. No further pilot flight records were obtained.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was an amateur-built replica of a 1924 Dormoy Bathtub. It featured a single strut-braced, fabric-covered parasol-mounted wing. The fuselage consisted of an open pilot enclosure with a single tubular structure running along the bottom of the fuselage and aft to the tail surfaces. Two additional tubular supports extended from the trailing edge of the wing to the top of the vertical tail.
Meteorological Information
At 1656, weather conditions at Monroe Municipal Airport, about 9 miles west of the accident site, were: wind 260 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 16 knots; visibility 10 miles; scattered clouds at 10,000 feet; temperature 22 degrees Celsius; dew point -4 degrees Celsius; altimeter 19.98 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
Broadhead Airport was privately owned and featured three turf runways. The runway in use at the time of the accident was Runway 03, which was 1,480 feet long and 100 feet wide.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest in a nose-low position. The aft fuselage tubing structure was bent forward and upward relative to the fuselage tub. The right wing and right landing gear were crushed rearward, while the left wing remained intact. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any pre-existing deficiencies.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the University of Wisconsin, School of Medicine. The report stated that the pilot perished as a result of the aircraft collision. A Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report listed naproxen detected in the pilot's urine.