History of Flight
On July 25, 2009, at 1525 central daylight time, a Luscombe 8C, registration N37080, operated by a private pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, collided with terrain approximately half a mile south of Beckerman Field Airport (5LL0) in Mount Carmel, Illinois. The aircraft had departed from Henderson City-County Airport (EHR) in Henderson, Kentucky, with an intended destination of Oshkosh, Wisconsin. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the pilot initially landed at EHR to wait for improving weather, then departed but later returned due to rain showers and convective activity. A fuel invoice from a fixed-base operator at EHR, timestamped 1254, indicated that the airplane was fueled with 13.4 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel.
A witness driving along Route 15 toward Mount Carmel observed a white airplane off her front right side. The airplane headed toward Route 15, then circled toward Mount Carmel. It then headed south and turned north, never crossing Route 15. The airplane was “rocking and tipping,” leading the witness to initially think it was a remote-control aircraft. She noted that the airplane appeared to be “going down.” When first seen, its altitude was “a little” above the trees. The airplane circled above the trees, and she believed the pilot was attempting a U-turn. During the turn, one wing was up and the other down; when the wings leveled, they began rocking, and the nose pitched down. No smoke was observed.
A second witness, about half a mile east of the accident site, reported hearing an engine “sputter” followed by an engine “rev,” after which the airplane entered a “steep” dive.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating issued on October 25, 2001. His total flight time was 628.0 hours as of July 18, 2009. His last flight review, conducted in the accident airplane on July 9, 2008, lasted 1.0 hour and brought his total time to 601.5 hours. A third-class airman medical certificate without limitations was issued on November 15, 2007.
Aircraft Information
The 1941 Luscombe 8C, serial number 1741, was powered by a Continental C-85-12F engine, serial number 22782-6-12. The last annual inspections for the airframe and engine were both dated September 10, 2008, at an airplane total time of 2,249.0 hours. As of July 18, 2009, the airplane had accumulated 22 hours since the last annual inspection.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in an agricultural field, with a wreckage path oriented approximately 100 degrees magnetic and about 110 feet in length. A ground scar consistent with a left wing impact extended about 25 feet, followed by a right wing impact scar of similar length. The main wreckage was about 40 feet from the end of the right wing scar. The right wing was inverted and attached to a section of fuselage. The forward fuselage was embedded in the ground and displayed rearward deformation. The empennage was folded over onto the right wing. The left wing had separated near the wing root. The engine separated from the fuselage and was about 20 feet forward of the main wreckage. The propeller separated from the engine and showed rearward bending with twisting and leading edge gouges. Placards near the wing fuel caps indicating the use of automotive gasoline were noted on both wings.
Engine examination revealed that the top spark plugs were removed and the engine was rotated by hand. The number one cylinder head fins exhibited impact damage. Air was drawn and expelled from each spark plug hole with compression, except for the number one cylinder. Movement of the number one cylinder piston was observed during rotation. Engine and accessory gear continuity was noted. No anomalies with magneto-to-engine timing were found. The magnetos were removed for further examination. The tachometer did not have an hour meter, and no Hobbs meter was found at the site.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the Wabash County Coroner on July 26, 2009. The FAA Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report indicated no carbon monoxide, cyanide, or ethanol in blood. Atenolol was detected in liver and blood. Citalopram was detected in liver and blood at 0.085 (ug/ml, ug/g), and N-Desmethylcitalopram in liver and blood at 0.017 (ug/ml, ug/g).
Review of the pilot’s personal medical records dating back to August 2008 documented evaluation for symptoms of anxiety, irritability, and restlessness in September 2008. The records indicated regular use of escitalopram 20 mg/day starting in October 2008, as well as use of atenolol and chlorthalidone for blood pressure control and an albuterol inhaler as needed for shortness of breath associated with exercise. No medications were listed on the pilot’s most recent airman medical certificate application dated November 15, 2007.
Tests and Research
The right magneto (Unison 6361, serial number 04092803) and left magneto (Unison 6360, serial number 04091724) sustained damage and could not be functionally tested. The right magneto’s coil produced a spark when tested with a coil tester; the left magneto coil showed continuity. The Bendix-Stromberg carburetor, lacking a data plate but marked with numbers 40590 and 380167-2, was disassembled. It contained a rubber-tipped float needle valve that, per Bendix service bulletin SB ACSB-84, was to be replaced in 1964. Brass safety wire was present. The idle screw was missing. The mixture control was in the full rich position and could not be moved by hand pressure; the airplane was not equipped with a mixture control. Disassembly revealed brown/white debris and sediment in the filter screen and throughout the unit, consistent with long-term water contamination.