History of Flight
On May 14, 2011, about 1600 Pacific daylight time, a Czech Aircraft Works SPOL SRO Sportcruiser, registration N282SC, collided with terrain after takeoff from Arlington Municipal Field, Arlington, Washington. The private pilot/owner was conducting a local personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot sustained fatal injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage from impact forces and a post-crash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
A witness observed the airplane perform at least two touch-and-go landings on runway 34, noting that everything appeared normal. After the pilot landed and taxied to parking, the witness visited with him briefly. The airplane was parked with flaps up and a safety pin in the ballistic recovery system (BRS). The pilot seemed mentally and physically fine and indicated he would put the airplane in the hangar. Later, the witness saw the Sportcruiser at the hold line for runway 34. After takeoff, the witness saw the airplane passing taxiway A2 over the runway centerline with flaps either up or nearly so. The engine sounded like it was at cruise or lower power. The airplane pitched up, gained altitude, then lost altitude and leveled off. This oscillation recurred several times before the airplane turned left to about 290 degrees, into the wind. It pitched up steeply, leveled off, then pitched up again, entered a steep left bank, and the fuselage descended through the horizon into terrain.
Other witnesses reported an extremely nose-high attitude after liftoff, with the airplane never climbing above about 100 feet agl. It maintained a nose-high attitude while turning back toward the runway, then entered a steep left bank followed by a near-vertical nose-low attitude. The airplane struck the ground on airport property and burst into flames about one minute later. First responders heard a rocket discharge a couple of minutes after impact, believed to be the BRS.
Pilot Information
The 77-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on June 27, 2008, with a requirement to wear corrective lenses. According to FAA records, the pilot reported 579 total flight hours, with 15 hours in the previous six months. A certified flight instructor noted poor airmanship in some areas and had recommended further instruction. In January 2011, the FAA proposed a 270-day suspension of the pilot's certificate for regulatory violations.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a Czech Aircraft Works SPOL SRO Sportcruiser, serial number 06SC006, equipped with a Rotax 912ULS-2 engine, serial number 5646410. The airplane's logbooks were not recovered.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Snohomish County Medical Examiner ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma and thermal injuries with inhalation of soot and products of combustion. Toxicological testing of the pilot showed 12% carbon monoxide in blood, 0.64 µg/ml cyanide, 0.072 µg/ml diphenhydramine (Benadryl), ibuprofen in urine, and 0.035 µg/ml oxazepam (Serax). The NTSB Chief Medical Officer noted the pilot had a history of using benzodiazepines and sleep aids; his medical certificate was revoked in 2002 and reissued in 2004. On his last medical application, he reported controlled hypertension and listed simvastatin, hydrochlorothiazide, and lisinopril. Diphenhydramine and oxazepam carry warnings about impaired ability for hazardous tasks.
Tests and Research
An examination of the engine by Rotech Flight Safety found severe thermal damage. The crankshaft could be rotated only about 270 degrees, attributed to fire damage. Spark plug electrodes showed a normal burn pattern. No defects were found in the reduction gearbox, cylinders, pistons, crankshaft, bearings, camshaft, or other components. Lubrication appeared adequate. Key components (ignition, carburetors, oil and coolant lines) were consumed by fire and could not be examined, preventing determination of the engine's running condition at the time of the accident.