History of Flight
On April 1, 2010, at approximately 1305 eastern daylight time, a Czech Aircraft Works Mermaid amphibious airplane, registration N853CZ, was destroyed when it collided with a boat dock near Algonac, Michigan. The aircraft was operated by a private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local flight without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The flight departed Oakland-Troy Airport (VLL) in Troy, Michigan, around 1200.
A firefighter at a nearby station observed the airplane at an estimated altitude of 500 feet above ground level. He reported that the airplane entered a turn over the river, after which the nose dropped and the aircraft descended inverted toward the river. He lost sight of the airplane before impact. Local residents also reported seeing the airplane flying low along the river; they noted that it entered a bank toward their residence, with wings at one point perpendicular to the water, before the nose suddenly dropped and the airplane descended, striking a dock and shallow water.
The airplane came to rest inverted, partially supported by the boat dock and partially in the river. The water depth at the location was approximately 1 foot.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 80, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land and sea ratings. He was issued a third-class airman medical certificate on June 18, 2009, with a restriction for corrective lenses. His flight time logbook was not available to the NTSB. On his most recent medical certificate application, he reported 2,200 hours of total flight time, with 40 hours flown within the previous 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a 2007 Czech Aircraft Works Mermaid, serial number 06MM008. It was a two-place, amphibious design certified as a light sport airplane, powered by a 120-horsepower Jabiru 3300 reciprocating engine (serial number 33A-1065). The most recent annual inspection was completed on November 3, 2009, at 4.0 total airframe hours. An engine oil change was performed on March 23, 2010, at 13.9 hours. No subsequent entries were recorded in the logs, and there was no record of unresolved maintenance issues. FAA records indicated the airplane was imported from the Czech Republic and issued an FAA Airworthiness Certificate in December 2007. The pilot purchased the airplane on October 30, 2009.
Meteorological Information
Weather observations from nearby stations included: at Selfridge Air National Guard Base (MTC), about 13 miles west of the accident site, at 1255, wind from 160 degrees at 11 knots, visibility 12 miles, broken clouds at 22,000 feet, temperature 22°C, dew point 8°C, altimeter 29.87 inHg; at Coleman A. Young Municipal Airport (DET), about 24 miles southwest, at 1253, wind from 200 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 22°C, dew point 8°C, altimeter 29.88 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted a boat dock along the St. Clair River. It came to rest inverted with the left wing on the dock and the right wing in the river, about 60 feet from the shoreline. The nose was crushed and the cockpit area compromised. Both wings remained attached; the right wing was displaced aft approximately 15 degrees. Wings exhibited leading-edge impact damage and skin deformation. The right aileron was partially separated; the right flap was rotated past its normal extended position. Left flap and aileron remained attached. Aileron control continuity was confirmed, but rod ends at the inboard wing roots were separated consistent with overload. The empennage was partially separated from the aft fuselage. Rudder, horizontal stabilizer, and elevators remained attached to the vertical stabilizer. Elevator and rudder control continuity was confirmed to the empennage separation. The elevator push-pull tube was separated at the aft fuselage separation point with overload fracture characteristics. Elevator continuity was confirmed from that point to the cockpit. The left side of the engine and shroud showed impact damage; the engine was otherwise intact. Internal continuity was confirmed via crankshaft rotation. The carburetor contained fluid consistent with fuel; no sediment or water was observed. The throttle body and air induction assembly were intact. Propeller blades and hub appeared intact; one blade had cracking on the aft face.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on April 2, 2010, attributed the pilot's death to a neck fracture sustained in the accident. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute toxicology report detected Diphenhydramine in liver and blood (0.081 µg/ml, µg/g) and Metoprolol in urine and blood. The pilot had a Special Issuance medical certificate due to a history of prostate cancer in remission and high blood pressure controlled with medication (metoprolol and valsartan). He had undergone cataract surgery and had a recent ophthalmologic evaluation noting elevated blood sugar controlled with diet and age-related macular degeneration with normal visual acuity. Diphenhydramine is an over-the-counter antihistamine with potential sedative effects.