History of Flight
On July 23, 2010, about 1330 Pacific daylight time, a Clark Vans RV-9A, N70720, experienced a loss of power and collided with power lines adjacent to Highway 213 in Oregon City, Oregon. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local personal flight originated from Aurora State Airport, Aurora, Oregon, with a planned destination of Fairways Airport in Oregon City. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Numerous witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering at low altitude adjacent to Highway 213, traveling north. Several witnesses thought the engine did not appear to be producing power. The airplane collided with trees and subsequently flew into power lines, coming to rest inverted and partially consumed by fire.
In a conversation with a Safety Board investigator, a certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the pilot had scheduled a biennial flight review in February 2010, about two years since his last review. At that time, the engine was undergoing maintenance, so the review was postponed. The pilot rescheduled, and the CFI flew with him the day before the accident. During the review, the pilot flew from Fairways to Aurora, where he landed and taxied clear. As the airplane approached the ramp, the engine experienced a loss of power and quit. After numerous failed restart attempts, airport personnel jump-started the battery. The engine started and emitted flames from the inlet port; a fire extinguisher was used to extinguish the fire, and the review was canceled.
On the accident day, the pilot and a friend went to Aurora to investigate the damage from the previous day. After cleaning residue from the extinguishing agent, the pilot started the engine. It appeared to operate normally, and the pilot told his friend he would perform high-speed taxis and possibly fly the airplane back to Fairways, where his hangar was located. The pilot performed a run-up inspection and departed, rocking the airplane's wings at 300 feet above ground level, indicating he would meet his friend at Fairways.
Pilot Information
According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating and a repairman experimental aircraft builder certificate. He was issued a third-class medical certificate in April 2010 with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision. No personal flight records were recovered. On his last medical application, he stated his total flight experience was 510 hours.
Aircraft Information
The RV-9A single-engine kit airplane, serial number 90513, was completed by the accident pilot in 2003. FAA records indicated the engine was a four-cylinder Aerosport Power IO-320-D1A (serial number L38687-27A) equipped with a Whirlwind 150 propeller (serial number 150-124B). The airplane's logbooks were not located. The pilot had successfully completed both Phase One and Phase Two of experimental operating limitations, the latter on April 23, 2003.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Clackamas County Office of the Medical Examiner performed an autopsy; the FAA Toxicology Accident Research Laboratory conducted toxicological testing.
Tests and Research
An FAA-certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic with Inspection Authorization examined the wreckage. He stated fire damage precluded testing the fuel system integrity. The fuel injection system linkage and hoses were consumed by fire. Numerous fittings and controls on the engine were loose or had low torque, attributed to thermal exposure from the post-crash fire. The magneto and electronic system were destroyed. The engine cylinders showed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. Spark plugs appeared new. The No. 2 cylinder plugs were oil-soaked, consistent with the engine's position on a trailer during examination. One propeller blade was intact; the other two were destroyed by impact and fire.