History of Flight
On July 2, 2011, at 2136 central daylight time, an American Champion Aircraft model 7GCBC, registration N711AT, was substantially damaged when it struck power lines and terrain while maneuvering at low altitude near Hayti, South Dakota. The pilot and his two passengers were fatally injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight, which departed from the pilot's private airstrip near Bryant, South Dakota, at 2126.
No eyewitnesses were present. A postaccident review by the local power company indicated a power interruption along 448th Avenue at 2136. The wreckage was located in a vacant field east of 448th Avenue by local residents, who reported the accident at 2158. Two power lines were found entangled with the wreckage.
A handheld GPS device recovered at the site showed the flight duration was 10 minutes 49 seconds. After departure, the aircraft maneuvered at various headings and altitudes, with most of the flight below 200 feet above ground level. The final 60 seconds of data showed a descending right turn to an easterly heading at a descent rate of 90 to 100 feet per minute and an average ground speed of 110 knots (127 mph). The last data point at 2136:44 recorded an altitude of 50 feet above ground level as the aircraft crossed 448th Avenue on an easterly heading.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 45, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating. His last aviation medical examination was on September 30, 2008, when he received a third-class medical certificate with no limitations. FAA records showed no previous accidents, incidents, or enforcement proceedings.
The most recent pilot logbook entry was dated August 22, 2009, showing 184.2 hours total flight time, all in single-engine land airplanes. His first flight in the accident aircraft was on July 25, 2008. The pilot's handheld GPS contained a log of flights after his final logbook entry. Combining logbook and GPS times, the pilot had accumulated 206.9 hours total flight time, including 168.1 hours as pilot-in-command and 38.8 hours of flight instruction received. In the past year, he had flown 21.4 hours; 15.3 hours in the prior 6 months; 13.5 hours in the previous 90 days; 4.4 hours in the preceding 30 days; and 0.8 hours in the 24 hours before the accident.
No flight instruction was logged since receiving his private pilot license on April 3, 2006. The logbook did not include flight training in tailwheel airplanes or an endorsement for tailwheel operation. Four flights in the accident airplane between July 25, 2008, and August 12, 2008, contained the remark "learning to land." All previous flight time was in a Cessna 172C. No record of a flight review, required every 24 calendar months, was found in the logbook.
Aircraft Information
The accident aircraft was a 2006 American Champion Aircraft model 7GCBC, serial number 1414-2006, powered by a 180-horsepower Superior Air Parts Inc. O-360-A3A2 reciprocating engine, serial number 01E060026, with a fixed-pitch, two-blade Sensenich 76EM8S8-0-58 metal propeller. It featured tandem seating for two occupants and was a tailwheel-equipped aircraft certified for aerobatic flight, with a maximum takeoff weight of 1,950 pounds.
The aircraft received a standard airworthiness certificate on June 2, 2006. The hour meter indicated 268.7 hours at the accident site, and the airframe and engine had accumulated 268.7 total service hours. The last annual inspection was on October 22, 2010, at 150 total airframe hours.
Meteorological Information
The closest weather observing station was Watertown Regional Airport (ATY), about 17 miles north-northeast of the accident site. At 2153, ATY reported wind from 130 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 23°C, dew point 16°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.08 inches of mercury. Sunset and end of civil twilight were at 2118 and 2154, respectively. Moonrise was at 0716 and moonset at 2210, with a waxing crescent moon less than 2% visible at the time of the accident.
Wreckage and Impact Information
All airframe structural and flight control components were found at the accident site. The main wreckage was located in a vacant field about 240 feet east of power lines paralleling the eastern edge of 448th Avenue. Two power lines were entangled with the wreckage: one around the right main landing gear and the other around the right wingtip and aileron. The wreckage was inverted and faced northwest toward 448th Avenue.
The main wreckage comprised the entire airframe, flight controls, engine, and propeller. Structural failures were consistent with overstress separation. Flight control continuity was established from surfaces to cockpit controls. The flap position could not be determined due to impact damage. The forward cabin, including the instrument panel, was fragmented. Throttle, mixture, and carburetor control positions could not be determined due to impact damage.
The engine remained attached to the firewall by control cables. Internal engine and valve train continuity was confirmed when the crankshaft was rotated, with compression and suction noted on all cylinders. Upper spark plugs exhibited features consistent with normal engine operation. Both magnetos sparked on all leads. The air filter housing and carburetor inlet were unobstructed. The fuel supply line and carburetor bowl contained fuel consistent with 100-low lead aviation fuel, free of water or contamination. The carburetor inlet screen was clean. Mechanical continuity from engine components to cockpit controls was confirmed.
The propeller remained attached and had several indentations along its leading edges; two had the same diameter and profile as the power lines entangled with the airframe. Postaccident examination revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on July 5, 2011, at LCM Pathologists in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, attributed the pilot's cause of death to multiple blunt-force injuries sustained during the accident. The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) conducted toxicology tests on samples from the pilot. No carbon monoxide, cyanide, or ethanol was detected. Bupropion and its metabolite were found in urine and blood, and ranitidine was detected in urine and blood. Bupropion (trade names Welbutrin or Zyban) is a prescription antidepressant also used for smoking and chewing tobacco cessation. According to the pilot's wife, he was prescribed bupropion about 3 months before the accident when he quit chewing tobacco. Ranitidine (trade name Zantac) is an over-the-counter medication to decrease gastric acid production and treat ulcers; the pilot reportedly took it on the day of the accident to reduce stomach acid buildup.
Survival Aspects
The aircraft had tandem seating intended for two occupants. The pilot was found in the forward position wearing his seat restraints. The rear seat was occupied by two children: the pilot's son and nephew, both 11 years old. Although the rear seat could accommodate two smaller individuals, it was only equipped with one restraint. According to first responders, one child remained restrained in the rear seat after the accident. The investigation could not determine if both children were sharing the same restraint at the time of the accident.