History of Flight
On July 30, 2010, about 2000 central daylight time, an American Champion Aircraft Corp. 7GCBC, registration N5027G, operated by Big Q Aviation, impacted terrain near Mid-Way Regional Airport (JWY), Midlothian, Texas. The certified flight instructor (CFI) and student pilot were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the instructional flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight originated from JWY about 1955.
The CFI and student pilot were conducting local traffic pattern flights prior to departing for a night cross-country instructional flight.
Two witnesses driving eastbound on a highway west of the impact location observed the southbound airplane initiating a left turn below 250 feet above ground level (AGL). One witness reported that the airplane was going very slow; after completing the turn, the nose dropped, and the airplane entered a shallow dive, then recovered to climb to about 300 feet AGL. The airplane then entered another flat turn. During that turn, the airplane turned more sharply, began to dive again, and entered a wings-level nose-down attitude. The witnesses, now less than a half-mile from impact, saw the airplane pull up sharply and then enter an almost vertical spiral into the ground.
Another witness, about 1,500 feet northeast of the impact location, observed the airplane flying much lower than normal. It continued descending and began a left turn that steepened; the airplane then headed straight down and impacted terrain.
Personnel Information
The 64-year-old CFI held an airline transport pilot certificate with ratings for airplane multiengine land and instrument airplane, plus commercial privileges for airplane single-engine land and glider. He held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multiengine land and instrument airplane, and an aircraft dispatcher certificate. He held a second-class medical certificate issued July 8, 2010, with the restriction "Must wear corrective lenses." His last flight review was completed April 29, 2010. A recovered insurance form dated July 2010 indicated the CFI reported 16,000 total flight hours with 2,500 hours in conventional-gear airplanes, and 3,500 hours as a flight instructor.
The 37-year-old student pilot was issued a second-class medical certificate on February 25, 2010, with the restriction "Holder shall wear corrective lenses." His certificate was endorsed for solo flight in 7GCBC aircraft on May 2, 2010, and for solo cross-country flight on May 17, 2010. His last logbook entry on July 29, 2010, showed 23.4 total hours in all airplanes, all in the accident airplane, consisting of 18.2 hours dual and 5.2 hours solo.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a single-engine, high-wing, tailwheel aircraft with aerobatic capability, serial number 1174-79, manufactured in 1979. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-A2B 150-horsepower engine driving a two-bladed fixed-pitch metal propeller.
Airplane logbooks indicated the last annual inspection was on December 5, 2009, at a total time of 2,330 hours. The last 100-hour inspection was on June 5, 2010, at 2,432 hours. Estimated total time at accident was 2,495 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1945, the automated surface observation at JWY reported wind from 170 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 33°C, dew point 18°C, and altimeter 29.89 inHg. U.S. Naval Observatory data showed sunset at 2027 and end of civil twilight at 2054 on July 30, 2010.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Main wreckage was on the west side of a private unpaved road about one mile south of JWY. An impact crater was on the east side of the road, about 20 feet from the main wreckage. A ground scar east of the crater corresponded to right wing impact. A handheld compass showed the main wreckage at about 300 degrees from the crater. A debris trail led from the crater to the wreckage.
The airplane rested upright with the fuselage oriented to about 70 degrees. The right wing was partially separated and folded aft over the right empennage; the left wing was in place with aft crushing along the leading edge. The cabin was impact-compressed, reduced in size by about 40 percent. The engine was impact-driven into the front seat area.
Leading edges of both wings sustained aft crushing from root to tips. Both fuel tanks were ruptured; wing skin from the tank area was removed, with hydraulic deformation on both tanks. Ailerons and flaps were damaged but attached at all hinge points.
The vertical fin and rudder were undamaged. The right horizontal stabilizer and elevator were undamaged; the left horizontal stabilizer and left elevator were damaged. The left trim tab remained attached.
Control cable continuity was verified throughout. The rear seat throttle handle was impact-locked in the fully closed position; the front seat throttle handle position could not be determined due to impact damage.
The separated propeller rested adjacent to the impact crater. One blade had an approximate two-degree aft bend six inches from the tip; the other blade had a gradual ten-degree aft bend six inches from the hub. Both blades displayed rotational scoring and leading-edge polishing on the back, with unblemished faces. Crush angles on the spinner were consistent with a near-vertical impact.
The engine remained partially attached. Examination revealed the exhaust system was impact-crushed. After removal of exhaust, magnetos, rocker covers, spark plugs, and vacuum pump, the crankshaft was rotated by hand, yielding thumb suction and compression on all cylinders. Valve action and accessory gear rotation were observed. Mechanical continuity was found throughout.
Cylinder borescope inspection showed accelerated wear on all cylinder walls. The oil suction screen was about five percent obstructed with particles resembling carbon flakes and ferrous metal.
The carburetor was impact-broken; the inlet fuel screen was unremarkable. The carburetor was destroyed and not tested. No fuel was observed at engine examination. The gascolator screen was unremarkable.
Both magnetos furnished spark at all outlet points when rotated by hand. An unmeasured amount of oil with extended service life was in the sump. An approximately four-inch fracture was observed on the upper right front crankcase, beginning at the crankshaft flange and continuing longitudinally aft.
All eight spark plugs exhibited wear and color consistent with normal combustion per the Champion Wear Chart.
No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the aircraft or engine were found that would have precluded normal operation.
A Garmin GPS receiver was retrieved and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory; the accident flight was not recorded.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsy of the CFI on July 31, 2010, by the Institute of Forensic Sciences, Dallas, Texas, determined cause of death as blunt force injuries. The autopsy also revealed severe atherosclerosis of the right coronary artery with a superimposed fresh-recent thrombus, suggesting an acute myocardial infarction. The CFI’s most recent medical application noted "no" to all medical history items, including heart or vascular trouble; there was no indication he was aware of his heart disease.
Postmortem toxicology by the FAA Bioaeronautical Research Science Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and listed drugs.
Autopsy of the student pilot on July 31, 2010, determined cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicology was negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, and listed drugs.
Additional Information
Review of the airplane flight manual indicated the airplane stalls at 43 knots (50 mph).
Refueling facility records at JWY showed the airplane had most recently been serviced with 16.6 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline. After the accident, management at JWY quarantined the fuel facility and supervised quality testing of the 100LL refueler. Samples from the hose and tank sump were clean, with no debris, water, or contamination.
First responders noted a strong smell of fuel around the wreckage immediately after the accident.
Another person, an airline transport pilot who had flown with the CFI, stated he did not believe the CFI would allow an airplane to stall/spin and that the CFI instructed aircraft control and stall awareness as a principle.