History of Flight
On June 17, 2010, about 1408 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Bernhard Vans RV-8, registration N901X, impacted desert terrain at the Martis Creek Dam Recreation area in Truckee, California. The airline transport-rated pilot/owner and a pilot-rated passenger were both fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local area flight, which was returning to land at the Truckee Tahoe Airport (TRK).
Law enforcement spoke with airport tower personnel. One individual reported hearing the pilot transmit that they were on final to the airport at 1408, followed shortly by a second transmission stating they were on the base leg. A glider pilot reported seeing wreckage in an open field south of the airport.
The individual who heard the transmissions was also a friend of one of the pilots. The pilot had mentioned staying in Truckee for the week with friends, and the purpose of the flight was sightseeing.
According to a friend, the front-seat pilot had been providing flight instruction to the rear-seated pilot/owner over the years. The evening prior, the front-seat pilot said the next morning’s flight would involve instruction.
A witness watching with binoculars reported the airplane on base leg for runway 28, with wind gusting from the southwest at 10 to 20 knots. The airplane appeared to continue beyond the normal turn point, was north of the final approach, and was low. The witness observed a steep left bank turn onto final, estimated at 45 to 60 degrees, and the airplane “plummeted downward at a high rate of speed” before disappearing behind a knoll.
Two airborne pilots reported hearing radio transmissions with a normal, calm tone. One pilot saw the airplane on downwind, straight and level at pattern altitude. He then observed the airplane “knife edge” with left wing low and right wing high, the canopy visible, and a sharp turn increasing to a diving turn at about a 45-degree angle to the ground.
Personnel Information
Front seat pilot: The 71-year-old pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate and a certified flight instructor (CFI) certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight engineer certificate. His second-class medical certificate, issued in May 2010, required corrective lenses. Flight time information from family: total time 18,970 hours, with 48.6 hours in the last year, 26.8 hours in the past 90 days, and 93.7 hours in the RV-8. His last biannual flight review was June 16, 2009.
Rear seat pilot/owner: The 66-year-old pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate and a flight engineer certificate. His third-class medical certificate, issued in May 2010, required glasses for near vision. No personal flight records were located; the NTSB IIC obtained aeronautical experience from FAA medical records. On his most recent medical application (May 10, 2010), he reported 20,650 total hours with 75 hours in the last 6 months.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a 2001 experimental Bernhard Vans RV-8, serial number 81051. Logbooks showed an inspection on May 2, 2010, signed off by an airframe and power plant mechanic with inspection authorization, to the scope of appendix D of 14 CFR Part 43, with total airframe time of 362 hours. The airplane had tandem seating; the rear seat had full flight controls except for a throttle.
The engine was a Textron Lycoming IO-360-A1B6, serial number L-29390-51A. In August 2007, it was returned to Lycoming with 179.9 hours for compliance with Service Bulletin 566/Airworthiness Directive 2005-19-11, and a new crankshaft was installed. The engine was reinstalled on September 21, 2007. On May 2, 2010, an engine inspection per appendix D was performed and returned to service.
Fueling records from TRK showed the airplane was last fueled on June 15, 2010, with 42 gallons of 100LL fuel. On the accident day, the airplane flew about 0.9 hours. Around 1105, it departed TRK for O43, where 10.32 gallons of fuel were added.
Wreckage and Impact Information
First responders reported the airplane came to rest upright in an open field. The canopy remained attached and in its normal position. A paramedic turned the ignition off, removed the key, and seatbelt of the rear-seated pilot. A sheriff’s deputy reported the left wing had separated and lay behind the airplane. The entire airplane rested at the site. The right wing, right horizontal stabilizer, and rudder remained attached to the fuselage.
Medical and Pathological Information
Front seat pilot: The Placer County Coroner completed an autopsy on June 18, 2010, listing cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicology showed positive results for Beta-Phenethylamine (decomposition product), caffeine, diphenhydramine (0.02 ug/ml in blood, detected in urine), and ibuprofen (detected in urine). No carbon monoxide, cyanide, or volatiles were found.
Rear seat pilot: Autopsy listed cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology showed positive results for caffeine, theobromine, and zolpidem. Zolpidem (Ambien) is a sedative hypnotic used for insomnia; adverse effects may include drowsiness, dizziness, amnesia, headache, and nausea. Zolpidem was detected in blood (cavity) at 0.018 ug/ml and in urine. No carbon monoxide, cyanide, or volatiles were found.
Tests and Research
On August 20, 2010, an inspection of the airframe and engine was conducted at Plain Parts, Pleasant Grove, California. The NTSB IIC observed the fuselage remained intact but had crush damage from the propeller section rearward to the empennage. The cockpit floor and sides had compression crush damage. The right main landing gear remained attached. The propeller assembly remained attached to the engine, but all three wooden blades had separated; about one-third of each blade remained from the hub outboard. The left wing had separated. No discrepancies were noted with flight controls; all cables and hardware were present. Throttle, mixture, and propeller controls were in the forward position. The engine had no obvious holes; controls, cables, and hardware remained attached.
Additional Information
The FAA's "Airplane Flying Handbook" (2004) notes that for base-to-final turns, a medium bank is recommended because steeper banks increase stall speed. If a steep bank is needed to avoid overshooting, a go-around is advisable. Accelerated maneuver stalls can occur at higher indicated airspeeds due to excessive maneuvering loads from steep turns or abrupt changes, and these stalls may be more rapid and unexpected by inexperienced pilots.