Accident Details
On June 25, 2009, at 1630 eastern daylight time, a P&M Aviation LTD QuikR, Special Light Sport Aircraft, registration N433PM, was substantially damaged after colliding with terrain following an uncontrolled descent near Cedartown, Georgia. The certified sport pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Polk County Airport (4A4) in Cedartown at an unspecified time.
Witness Observations
One witness reported observing the airplane in a downward spiral before it struck trees. Another witness saw the airplane descending at a high rate before crashing into woods, noting that the engine noise was smooth and continuous with no interruption until ground contact.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 44, held a sport pilot certificate and was issued a third-class medical certificate on January 1, 2008, with no limitations. He reported 300 total hours of flight experience at that time. The pilot's logbook was not available for review.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, weight-shift, fixed-gear airplane was manufactured in 2009. It was powered by a Rotax 912ULS, 100 hp engine and equipped with a two-bladed Sensenich propeller. The two-bladed propeller was not approved for this application by the aircraft manufacturer, which recommended a three-bladed propeller. No airplane logbooks were recovered, so the total time and most recent inspection date could not be determined.
Weather Conditions
At 1648, weather reported at Cartersville Airport (VPC), about 16 miles northeast of the accident site, included a broken ceiling at 7,000 feet, 10 miles visibility in rain, winds from 210 degrees at 6 knots, temperature 33°C, dew point 16°C, and altimeter setting 29.98 inches of mercury.
Wreckage Examination
An FAA aviation safety inspector examined the wreckage on June 26, 2009. All major components were accounted for. Examination of the airframe and flight control systems revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. Flight tubes were damaged consistent with impact and showed no signs of preimpact failure. The engine and system components exhibited valve train continuity with no preimpact mechanical malfunction.
Cockpit Placards
Examination of cockpit placarding revealed that all weight limitations were published in metric units (kilograms) without a conversion chart. The investigation recommended that US-registered aircraft placards be replaced with standard measurement placards to avoid confusion, as pilots were required to convert critical weights prior to flight.
Medical and Toxicology
On June 26, 2009, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation conducted an autopsy of the pilot, with the cause of death reported as multiple generalized blunt force injuries. Forensic toxicology testing performed by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory detected 46 mg/dL of ethanol in muscle and no ethanol in the liver, along with 7 mg/dL of N-propanol in muscle. The toxicology report noted putrefaction.