History of Flight
On June 17, 2009, a Champion 7ECA, registration N8339V, departed Corona Municipal Airport (AJO) in Corona, California, at about 1055 for a personal local area flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane crashed under unknown circumstances in hilly terrain near Lake Elsinore, California. The certificated commercial pilot and a passenger were killed; the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot's spouse reported that the plan was for the pilot and passenger to fly to French Valley Airport (F70) in Temecula, California, for lunch and then return to Corona. After several unsuccessful attempts to reach the pilot and a missed dinner, she asked a friend to check the airport. The friend found the pilot's and passenger's cars at the airport but the airplane not at the hangar. The friend then flew to search and later located the wreckage near Lake Elsinore. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department received a report of a downed airplane from that pilot at about 1855.
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector responded. The wreckage came to rest intact and inverted on sloping terrain. Both wings showed leading to trailing edge crush damage. The empennage and tail were bent over the cockpit area, and the fuselage was twisted and buckled. Flight control continuity was established. There was no debris path, and the inspector reported that it appeared the airplane had stalled prior to impacting the ground.
Reported weather in the area included generally clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, and winds from the northwest at about 10 knots.
Personnel Information
The 70-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He held a second-class medical certificate issued on June 12, 2009, with a limitation requiring corrective lenses. On his last medical application, he reported 3,550 total flight hours, with 30 hours in the previous 6 months. His logbook indicated an estimated total flight time of 3,486.3 hours, with 9.2 hours in the last 90 days and 3.5 hours in the last 30 days. He had an estimated 46 hours in the accident make and model.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 1966 Champion 7ECA, serial number 196. A logbook entry dated November 5, 1997, indicated that the fabric had been removed, the airframe repaired and refurbished, and new fabric installed. On September 22, 1999, the airplane was found unairworthy due to fatigue, corrosion, and structural damage to the wings. A May 5, 2000, entry showed a tachometer time of 542.2 hours and total time of 2,775.11 hours. An annual inspection on August 25, 2008, recorded total time of 3,475.2 hours. An October 8, 2008, entry for removal of the attitude indicator recorded total time of 3,503.0 hours.
The engine originally was a Textron Lycoming O-235-C1, serial number L-8928-15, removed on July 17, 1997, with total time 2,133.8 hours. On November 5, 1997, a Teledyne Continental Motors O-200-A48B engine, serial number 285235R, was installed with total time 277.3 hours. At the last 100-hour inspection on October 8, 2008, the engine total time was 1,644.3 hours since major overhaul.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Sheriff-Coroner, County of Riverside, on June 19, 2009, listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma. Toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team found no tested drugs. For volatiles, 10 mg/dL ethanol was detected in muscle but not in heart or kidney. Tests for carbon monoxide or cyanide were not performed.
Tests and Research
The wreckage was examined at Aircraft Recovery Service, Chino, California, on July 7, 2009. The engine crankcase showed impact damage with missing material between cylinders 3 and 4; interior components were oil-soaked but without visible mechanical damage. The accessory gears were undamaged with residual oil. The alternator housing and drive shaft sustained impact damage; the starter drive was undamaged.
Both magnetos separated from their mounting pads. The left magneto was not located. The right magneto showed impact damage to housing and internal components. The ignition harness was damaged. Spark plugs showed normal wear; top and bottom number 1 and 3 plugs had light gray deposits; number 2 plugs had debris in electrode area; number 4 plugs were oil-soaked. The carburetor separated from the induction manifold; its bowl was free of fuel and debris; floats were compressed. The oil pump was not damaged; cover plate and cavity walls showed impact marks and material smearing.
The propeller remained attached with a crushed and torn spinner. Blade A was bent aft near the hub with s-bending and chordwise scratching. Blade B was bent aft near the mid-section with s-bending, chordwise scratching, and leading edge gouging.
No abnormalities were found with the engine that would have prevented normal operation.