Accident Overview
On July 9, 2008, at 1117 central daylight time, a Colyaer SL Freedom S100, serial number N4450E, crashed into the Tennessee River within the Swan Creek Wildlife Management Area near Limestone, Alabama. The airplane was substantially damaged. The certificated private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger on board were killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local pleasure flight. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from Pryor Field Regional Airport (DCU) in Decatur, Alabama, at 1053.
Flight History and Training
At the time of the accident, the private pilot was receiving 10 hours of transition training in the Special Light Sport Airplane (S-LSA) seaplane from the pilot-rated passenger. Witnesses in the area reported hearing the accident but did not see it. Upon observing the wreckage, they contacted the police. The airplane was found inverted in the water with one wing separated.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 65, held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane single-engine sea, and instrument airplane, issued on May 6, 1981. His third-class medical certificate was issued on July 7, 2008, with a restriction requiring glasses for near vision. On his most recent medical application, he reported 2,600 total flight hours. His logbook was not recovered.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, high-wing, retractable-gear amphibian was manufactured in 2007 and powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100-horsepower rear-mounted engine. The airplane's logbooks were not recovered.
Weather Conditions
The 1153 surface weather observation at Huntsville International Airport (HSV) reported winds from 220 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 4,300 feet, temperature 32 degrees Celsius, dewpoint 22 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.07 inches of mercury.
Wreckage Examination
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the engine and flight controls were present. The nose and cockpit section separated upon impact with the water. The left wing separated at impact and sustained minor damage. The empennage and T-tail were undamaged. The landing gear was retracted and undamaged, although the main gear doors were separated from the hull; the gear door hooks were intact. The right flap actuator was positioned consistent with a 10- to 15-degree flap extension. No preimpact failures or malfunctions were identified in the available wreckage.
Autopsy and Toxicology
An autopsy performed on July 10, 2008, by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries due to aircraft collision. Forensic toxicology by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory detected minoxidil, pioglitazone, and ranitidine in blood and urine. No carbon monoxide, cyanide, or ethanol were found.
GPS Data
A Garmin GPSMAP 496 recovered from the wreckage was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Division. Data from the most recent tracklog began at 1052:55, with a position fix at DCU. The average GPS altitude during the first 13 minutes and 22 seconds was 643 feet; field elevation at DCU is 592 feet. The final fix at 11:16:25 placed the airplane near the accident site at a GPS altitude of 584 feet (approximately 532 feet mean sea level). The last recorded ground speed was 72 miles per hour on a course of 229 degrees true.