Accident Details
On November 29, 2010, at about 1130 Pacific standard time, an experimental Kennedy Lancair 320, registration N42BK, impacted terrain about one-eighth mile east of the runway at Lenhardt Airport in Hubbard, Oregon. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was killed in the accident sequence. The airplane, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 with an undetermined destination in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed.
Witness Observations
Witnesses reported that the airplane's takeoff roll and liftoff appeared normal. However, when it had flown about halfway down the runway, its pitch attitude increased slightly and it began to roll slowly to the left until it reached nearly 90 degrees of bank. At that point, there was what appeared to witnesses to be a smooth but significant reduction in engine power. The airplane then turned away from the runway to the left and descended into terrain. During the entire sequence, the retractable landing gear remained fully extended. Almost immediately after impact, a rapidly growing fire broke out, consuming much of the airplane's structure. Witnesses stated that the winds were calm, and the engine sounded smooth and strong, with no backfiring or coughing, even during the power reduction. They also noted that the pilot had his dog in the right seat; the dog, with partially burned hair, was later found wandering near the impact area. The pilot's wife confirmed to the FAA that he often took the dog flying.
Post-accident Examination
The FAA inspector who responded to the scene reported that a full flight control continuity inspection was not possible due to impact and thermal damage, but no evidence of pre-impact anomalies in the flight controls was found. Separations in the flight control torque tubes appeared consistent with overload failures. An autopsy by the Oregon State Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries and the manner as accidental.
Toxicology
The FAA's Forensic Toxicology Research Team tested specimens from the pilot. Results were negative for carbon monoxide and cyanide in heart blood, and negative for ethanol in urine. Positive findings included: dextromethorphan and its metabolite dextrorphan detected in urine and blood; 0.125 µg/mL doxylamine in heart blood; and pantoprazole in blood. Dextromethorphan is an over-the-counter cough suppressant that may affect performance and judgment at very high doses. Pantoprazole is a prescription acid-reducing medication not normally expected to cause impairment. Doxylamine is a sedating antihistamine with a half-life over 10 hours. The doxylamine level was consistent with ingestion of a maximal over-the-counter dose within about four hours prior to death, or a larger dose earlier.
Medical History
The pilot's FAA medical records noted a history of coronary artery disease with three-vessel bypass surgery in 1998, mild post-traumatic stress disorder, insomnia, and gastroesophageal reflux disease. Stress echocardiograms since 1998 were normal, with the most recent in 2008. However, autopsy disclosed severe atherosclerosis with thrombus formation, vessel calcification, and necrosis in the bypass grafts. The left anterior descending coronary artery proximal to the graft had greater than 90% stenosis. A 2005 cardiology summary indicated the pilot's PTSD was aviation-related, stemming from a low-level near crash. His most recent FAA medical application, dated September 11, 2008, was deferred for evaluation, and a letter from the FAA Aerospace Medical Certification Division on August 15, 2009, determined he was not qualified for any class of medical certificate. There was no indication he pursued certification after that denial, so at the time of the accident he did not hold a current FAA medical certificate.