Accident Details
On January 31, 2009, at approximately 1525 central standard time, a Bellanca 8KCAB, registered as N31254, was substantially damaged following an in-flight loss of control while maneuvering near Moscow, Tennessee. The private pilot, who owned and operated the aircraft, was killed. The local personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight had originated from Olive Branch Airport (OLV) in Olive Branch, Mississippi, about 1513.
Witness Account
A witness, who was washing his car outdoors, reported that the weather was sunny with light wind. He observed the airplane going vertically upward, then nosing over to the right and descending straight down. He heard a light thud and realized the aircraft had crashed. The witness noted that the engine sounded normal and was running strong. Prior to the vertical pull-up, the airplane appeared to be just above a tree line adjacent to the witness's property, at an estimated altitude of less than 1,000 feet.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with privileges for airplane single-engine land and glider, as well as airline transport pilot and flight engineer certificates. He was employed as a Boeing 757 captain for Federal Express. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate, dated December 15, 2008, included a restriction requiring glasses for near and intermediate vision. According to the FAA, the pilot had recently acquired the airplane and had logged approximately 13 hours in it. His total flight time, as reported on his latest FAA medical application, was 10,050 hours. His personal logbook was not located after the accident, and acquaintances stated they were unaware of any aerobatic instruction he had received.
The aircraft and engine logbooks showed that the airplane had received an annual inspection on September 15, 2008, and had accumulated about 13 hours since then.
Investigation Findings
Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) examined the wreckage at the accident site, located in a rural area about 9 miles south of Somerville, Tennessee. The debris field spanned approximately 64 feet, and the airplane came to rest at the edge of a pond in a nose-low attitude. The wings, fuselage, and empennage were fragmented. Broken tree limbs were found adjacent to the site, and a section of wing spar and wing skin remained lodged in a pine tree. The propeller exhibited S-bending, chordwise scratching, and blade twisting. The engine could not be rotated by hand due to impact damage. Flight control continuity was established from all primary flight control surfaces to the cockpit. Both fuel tanks were breached, and spilled fuel was present within the debris field.
Weather observation at OLV at 1550 reported winds from 200 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 13°C, dew point 1°C, and altimeter setting 30.13 inches of mercury.
The physician who performed the pilot's most recent FAA first-class medical examination reported no significant medical findings and considered the pilot to be in good health, unaware of any conditions that might have contributed to the accident.
A postmortem examination by the Shelby County Medical Examiner listed the cause of death as blunt force injuries, with the manner of death classified as accident. Forensic toxicology performed by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory (CAMI) was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and drugs.
14 CFR Part 91, section 303, defines aerobatic flight as an intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in attitude, abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration not necessary for normal flight, and states that no person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight below 1,500 feet above the surface.