Accident Overview
On April 22, 2009, at 1400 central daylight time, an amateur-built experimental Laseure Sonerai II, N232PE, was destroyed after colliding with terrain and a post-impact fire following takeoff from the Circle T private airstrip (WS77), near Grantsburg, Wisconsin. The private pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Witness Observations
A witness reported hearing the pilot revving the engine to high RPMs before takeoff. Initially, the engine sounded like it was missing on two of four cylinders, then a third cylinder seemed to engage while the pilot taxied. The witness described the engine as sounding like it had a stuck valve and was not running properly. The airplane taxied up and down the runway multiple times before departing to the west. After liftoff, the airplane made a left turn directly over the witness's house, clearing it by 80 feet. Typically, the pilot would fly straight for another 300–500 yards before turning. During the left turn, the airplane's wings dipped to the right, then sharply to the left, rolled inverted, and descended nose first.
Wreckage Examination
The airplane impacted terrain in a wooded area and was consumed by a ground fire. Top branches of adjacent trees were broken. The fuselage fabric was burned, exposing metal tubing. The outboard half of the left wing was bent aft and charred; the inboard leading edge separated from the wing spar, which was bent aft. The right wing was largely intact with aft crushing and buckling of the outboard leading edge, and remained attached. The engine compartment was burned, and the engine separated from its mounts. The cockpit was consumed by fire. The empennage was largely intact with no apparent damage to the horizontal or vertical stabilizer.
An FAA airworthiness inspector examined the wreckage. The engine was a Continental O-200 series, but the data plate was missing. Mechanical and electrical engine controls were present. Magneto P-lead wires were attached. The crankshaft could rotate but not far. All four upper spark plugs were automotive Auto-lite plugs with different gaps, and magneto leads were modified for automotive-style spark plug tips. The carburetor mixture control was safety wired to full rich, preventing adjustment. All spark plugs were moist with fuel and showed a fuel-rich burn color. The wooden propeller was destroyed. Rudder, elevator, aileron, and elevator trim controls exhibited continuity, and all control surfaces remained attached.
Airframe and engine logbooks were not recovered. FAA records indicated the airplane was manufactured in 1979 as a two-seat aircraft originally equipped with a Volkswagen engine. The pilot purchased the airplane and registered it on September 13, 2008. According to a witness, the accident flight was the pilot's first flight in this airplane.
Pilot Information
The 48-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating issued on February 12, 2004, and a third-class medical certificate issued on March 6, 2008. He completed a flight review on March 6, 2008, and his last logbook entry was dated August 28, 2008. Total flight time was about 402 hours. The pilot owned Circle T private airstrip (WS77), located on his property.
NTSB records indicated two prior accidents: on February 6, 2008, the pilot experienced a left brake seizure due to ice, causing the aircraft to veer off the runway; on July 21, 2008, an engine failure during takeoff resulted in substantial damage and minor injuries to the pilot.
Toxicology and Medical Findings
An autopsy on April 23, 2009, classified the death as accidental due to thermal injuries from the airplane crash. A forensic toxicology report detected multiple substances: citalopram (1.164 ug/ml in blood), di-N-desmethylcitalopram (0.014 ug/ml in blood), diphenhydramine (0.025 ug/ml in blood), hydrocodone (0.068 ug/ml in urine), hydromorphone (0.011 ug/ml in urine), quetiapine (0.112 ug/ml in blood), and zolpidem (0.023 ug/ml in blood). Results were negative for cyanide, ethanol, and carbon monoxide.
Review of pilot medical records indicated diagnoses of sleep apnea requiring CPAP, a history of depression and panic attacks, and recent surgeries for thumb pain and a fractured ankle. Medications prescribed on April 13, 2009, included Lexapro, Lorazepam, Seroquel, and Zolpidem.