Accident Summary
On October 12, 2008, at 0806 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Sabre Tukan weight-shift light sport aircraft, registered N75604, was substantially damaged following an uncontrolled descent after takeoff from Cooper Field, a private airstrip in Mohawk, Tennessee. The non-certificated pilot, who was also the owner, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
Witness Accounts
Local law enforcement interviewed several witnesses and members of the pilot's family after the accident. Witnesses reported strong, gusting winds from the east, but the pilot elected to take off to the west. During the takeoff roll, the aircraft's left wing dragged on the turf runway, and it nearly collided with a camper. The aircraft climbed to an estimated altitude between 100 and 150 feet above ground level, then made a "hard left turn" before entering a nose-down descent and impacting the ground. Witnesses described the engine sound as "wide open" throughout the takeoff and accident sequence.
Pilot Background
According to the police officer-in-charge, the pilot's wife stated that the aircraft was a recent purchase. The pilot had arranged to meet a flight instructor at Cooper Field on the morning of the accident, but the instructor never arrived. The pilot then decided to take his first flight in the aircraft solo and without prior instruction. The pilot's wife later confirmed these details in a written statement. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who responded to the scene reported that a search of FAA records revealed the pilot held no pilot certificates and had no record of applying for an FAA medical certificate.
Aircraft Information
FAA and maintenance records indicate that the airplane was manufactured in 1999 and had accumulated 350 total aircraft hours. The most recent conditional inspection was completed on January 13, 2008, at 350 aircraft hours.
Meteorological Conditions
The nearest reported weather conditions were from McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS), approximately 40 miles north of the accident site. At 1347, the observation included few clouds at 6,500 feet, winds from 040 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 10 miles, temperature 16 degrees Celsius, and dew point 8 degrees Celsius.
Post-Accident Examination
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Tennessee Department of Health, performed an autopsy on the pilot and determined the cause of death as "Blunt force injuries secondary to ultralight plane crash." The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory conducted toxicological testing, which detected tetrahydrocannabinol (marijuana) and tramadol, a prescription painkiller, in fluid and tissue specimens.