History of Flight
On June 26, 2011, at 1655 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Barracuda, registration N289DH, operated by a private individual, struck trees and terrain while on approach to land at South Alabama Regional Airport (79J) in Andalusia, Alabama. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was substantially damaged by impact forces and a subsequent postcrash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from 79J about 1625.
The airplane had been purchased by the pilot, who arranged for a ferry pilot to fly it from Florida to Colorado. On May 6, 2011, during an approach to 79J, the ferry pilot was unable to extend the left landing gear and landed with it retracted. The aircraft was subsequently repaired.
At the time of the accident, the owner was flying the airplane to familiarize himself with its characteristics before continuing the ferry to Colorado. He had flown about two previous hours in the airplane, including about one hour two weeks earlier.
Witnesses at the airport observed the airplane in the traffic pattern for runway 29 with all three landing gears extended. They reported that it appeared slow and in a nose-high attitude. One witness stated that as the aircraft turned left base, the left wing dropped dramatically, the engine sounded as if it advanced to full power rapidly, and the airplane flipped onto its back and descended under power into the ground, resulting in a fireball.
The airplane collided with trees and impacted the ground about half a mile from the approach end of the runway.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 58, held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His logbook was not recovered. On his most recent application for a third-class medical certificate, issued December 8, 2009, he reported 350 hours of total flight experience.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, low-wing, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 289, was constructed from wood using plans and issued an experimental special airworthiness certificate on July 17, 2008. It was powered by a Continental Motors IO-470K 235-horsepower engine with a three-bladed Hartzell constant-speed propeller. Total fuel capacity was 58 gallons.
Maintenance records were presumed destroyed in the accident. The airplane had accumulated an estimated 130 total hours. According to the builder, a condition inspection had been performed about two months prior to the accident; at that time, the engine had operated about 1,200 hours. The airplane was not equipped with a stall warning system.
Airport fuel records indicate the pilot purchased 27.51 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline on June 9, 2011, and 22.04 gallons on the accident date. The builder reported that fuel burn during climbout at full rpm was 20 gallons per hour, and cruise at 55 percent power consumed 12 gph.
Meteorological Information
At 1656, the reported weather at 79J included wind from 40 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 6 miles in haze, temperature 36°C, dew point 19°C, and altimeter 29.92 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination at the site revealed that the airplane first struck trees on a heading of about 280 degrees before impacting the ground and coming to rest on a heading of about 265 degrees. Several freshly cut tree limbs of varied diameters were observed, consistent with propeller strikes. All major portions of the airplane were accounted for, but the airframe was consumed by a postcrash fire that charred an area about 50 feet around the wreckage.
Flight control continuity was confirmed from all controls to the cockpit. The landing gear was separated, and the flap actuator jackscrew corresponded to the fully extended position.
The engine was intact but fire-damaged. All accessories except the vacuum pump and propeller governor were separated. The No. 6 cylinder sustained significant impact damage. The crankshaft could not be rotated. A borescope inspection revealed no abnormalities to piston heads, cylinder domes, or valves. Top spark plugs displayed normal wear. The fuel pump drive coupling was intact, but the pump was dry and heat discolored with no internal damage. Throttle and mixture controls were seized in the full open position. The fuel inlet screen was heat discolored and clean. Magnetos rotated but produced no spark; internal melting was found upon disassembly. The oil filter and fuel manifold were uncontaminated.
The propeller hub remained attached, and the spinner was crushed. All three blades were fire-damaged: one twisted toward rotation, one bent about 40 degrees near the hub, and one separated about 4 inches from the hub and twisted.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy was performed by the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences. Toxicological testing by the FAA was positive for ethanol and N-propanol, but it was noted that the samples had undergone putrefaction.