Accident Overview
On April 15, 2009, at 1400 central daylight time, an experimental light-sport T Bird II, registration N154ZX, collided with a person on the ground while taking off from a farm field in Carlock, Illinois. The pilot, who did not hold a pilot certificate, was not injured. The individual on the ground received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 and was local in nature, originating at the time of the accident.
Pilot and Witness Accounts
The pilot reported to local authorities that a cameraman was in the field to film him taking off directly over the cameraman. According to the pilot, he was unable to gain sufficient altitude, and the right main landing gear contacted the cameraman during the takeoff. The pilot stated his speed was approximately 40 miles per hour when the airplane struck the cameraman.
A witness reported that the cameraman was sitting on the ground with his legs crossed when the accident occurred. The witness stated that the right main gear contacted the camera, pushing it back into the cameraman's face and knocking him to the ground. Following the impact, the cameraman was unconscious, according to the witness.
Cameraman's Condition and Recall
The cameraman reported no memory of the impact. He stated that he was going to film the airplane taking off and the next thing he recalls is waking up in the ambulance. A relative of the cameraman indicated that he required spinal surgery as a result of his injuries and was experiencing paralysis of the arms and legs at the time of reporting.
Examination of Equipment and Pilot Background
Examination of the camera used by the cameraman revealed that it did not contain a recording of the accident sequence.
The pilot had purchased the airplane approximately two months prior to the accident. His logbook contained two entries totaling 3.3 hours of dual flight time in another make and model airplane. The pilot informed his flight instructor that he had purchased the airplane, and the instructor reported telling the pilot that he needed a pilot certificate in order to operate it.