Accident Overview
On April 4, 2009, at about 1435 eastern daylight time, a Donald J. Gaynor experimental amateur built RV-6A, registration N88WG, crashed into trees in Englewood, Florida. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual. The certificated private pilot was killed, the passenger received serious injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. A post-crash fire occurred. The flight was operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed from Venice Municipal Airport (VNC) in Venice, Florida, at about 1415.
Witness Accounts
The passenger stated they were sightseeing and returning along the coast when they flew over the shore at about 1,300 to 1,500 feet. He heard a loud snap or bang. The pilot was moving the stick fore and aft and exclaimed, “Oh Jesus no.” The aircraft was buffeting. The passenger reported that the time from the bang to hitting the trees was immediate.
Witnesses at a local gathering reported seeing a white single-engine airplane fly overhead at an estimated 200-300 feet. Some described a “barrel roll” and others a “loop.” The airplane then disappeared from sight. Organizers stated no air show was scheduled and the pilot was unknown to attendees.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 67, held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land ratings and a third-class medical certificate issued June 7, 2008, with no restrictions. His most recent medical certificate indicated 3,000 hours of flight time. His logbook was not recovered.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, low-wing, fixed-gear tailwheel airplane, serial number 23495, was manufactured in 1999. It was powered by a Lycoming O-360-A1D, 200-hp engine with a constant-speed propeller. The airplane’s logbooks were not recovered.
Examination Findings
Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector showed the airplane collided with trees in a heavily wooded area. The wings and cockpit canopy separated. Isolated fire damage near the instrument panel and under the engine accessory section was consistent with a post-impact fire. Flight control continuity was established to all surfaces. Engine continuity was confirmed from propeller to accessory section, and the left magneto sparked when rotated. No evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
Toxicology and Medical History
An autopsy on the pilot noted a fracture of the spine due to blunt impact and the finding of a carcinoid tumor with multiple metastases. Toxicology by the Medical Examiner found blood ethanol at 0.093 gm/dL and urine ethanol at 0.084 gm/dL. FAA toxicology detected ethanol in blood (99 mg/dL), vitreous (94 mg/dL), brain (78 mg/dL), and muscle (65 mg/dL), along with quinine in liver and blood, and zolpidem in liver and blood (0.031 ug/mL).
FAA medical records showed the pilot had his medical certificate revoked and pilot certificate suspended twice for failing to report DUI convictions (1989 and 1995) in Massachusetts. After the second revocation, he was required to undergo a substance abuse evaluation, but he did not disclose the 1989 DUI. The evaluator concluded no apparent signs of alcohol abuse. The FAA subsequently determined the pilot eligible for a third-class certificate. The NTSB obtained Massachusetts arraignment records noting the two DUI convictions.