History of Flight
On November 6, 2008, at approximately 1720 Pacific standard time, a Universal Globe GC-1A airplane, registration N80715, impacted flat terrain near Wallace, California. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was killed, and the airplane was destroyed. The flight originated from Rancho Murieta Airport (RIU) in Rancho Murieta, California, at 1610 as a local area test flight under visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed.
The purpose of the flight was to test a retractable tail wheel that had been installed on the airplane. A second airplane, piloted by a friend of the accident pilot, accompanied the flight to observe. The second pilot reported that the accident airplane began flying erratically, and attempts to contact the accident pilot via radio were unsuccessful. When the second pilot caught up, he observed the accident pilot slumped over in the cockpit. The second pilot remained with the accident airplane until low fuel forced him to return to the airport. The wreckage was later located by the Calaveras County Sheriff's Department near the campgrounds of Comanche Lake Reservoir.
Personnel Information
The 67-year-old pilot held a commercial certificate with ratings for single-engine, multiengine, instrument airplane, and rotorcraft. He held a second-class medical certificate issued on July 8, 2008, with the restriction "Must wear corrective lenses." His most recent medical application listed 5,600 total flight hours, with 20 hours in the preceding 6 months. Friends reported that the accident flight was the second flight since the airplane had been reassembled after a two-year restoration project that included painting, engine rebuilding, and instrument panel updates. The first flight was an engine break-in that lasted only 10 minutes due to a partially clogged fuel injector, which was subsequently repaired.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1946, four-seat, single-engine Universal Globe CG-1A, powered by a Lycoming IO-360-EXP engine. An airframe and powerplant mechanic who inspected the airplane in September 2008 found incorrect hardware in the flight control system, which the pilot corrected. No logbooks were available for review. Post-accident engine inspection revealed no evidence of preimpact malfunction, and the manufacturer reported no mechanical issues that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on November 10, 2008, by the Calaveras County Office of the Coroner noted that the body was extensively disrupted and that it could not be determined whether the deceased expired before the accident or during it. Examination of the heart showed patent coronary arteries with no evidence of recent or remote myocardial infarction, though microscopic examination identified diffuse atherosclerotic changes with up to 50-60% lumen narrowing in some areas, without thrombus. Toxicological analysis found no blood, urine, or vitreous samples available; ethanol was detected in the liver at 24 mg/dL but not in muscle, and alfuzosin was detected in the liver and kidney. The pilot's most recent medical application listed medications Zocor and Protonix, with no relevant medical history other than a childhood tonsillectomy.
Onboard Video Evidence
A video recovered from the accident airplane showed a 70-minute, 40-second color recording with stereo sound. The camera was mounted in the rear seat area, capturing the back of the pilot and a view of the center instrument panel. The recording depicted the pilot with shoulder harness on, engine start, taxi, and takeoff. The airplane climbed at 500 feet per minute to 2,000 feet, and the landing gear was retracted with no discrepancies noted. At 13 minutes 28 seconds into the recording, the pilot adjusted the throttle, and two seconds later, his hand slipped off the throttle and his head tilted forward. No coordinated movement of the pilot's head or hand was observed for the remainder of the recording. The video then showed several descending and climbing turns, with descents at about 40 degrees pitch down and 45 degrees bank, followed by a left climbing turn. The airplane continued this profile until the end of the recording.