History of Flight
On July 17, 2011, at approximately 1705 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Davidson Zenith STOL CH701, registration N701RD, experienced a loss of engine power and collided with terrain near the Nace Family Airstrip (OG41) in Glendale, Oregon. The pilot and owner were operating the airplane under 14 CFR Part 91 for a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was departing at the time of the accident.
Earlier, the pilot had flown the airplane in the traffic pattern, landed, and shut down the engine. He invited the airstrip owner for a short flight, but the owner declined and suggested the pilot take another passenger instead. Witnesses observed the airplane take off and climb to an estimated altitude of 500 feet when the engine sputtered and stopped. The airplane then made a steep left turn back toward the runway. During the turn, it descended rapidly and struck terrain approximately one-quarter mile from the runway end. The airplane partially exited the turn, but the descent rate was not arrested.
After the accident, witnesses reported hearing the fuel pump operating but did not see or smell any fuel in the area.
Personnel and Aircraft Information
The 66-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. No personal flight records were located, and the FAA airmen medical records indicated no medical certificate had been issued.
The two-seat, high-wing, fixed-gear aircraft was manufactured in 2006 and designated as experimental amateur-built. It was powered by a Rotax 912 ULS engine driving a three-bladed Warp Drive 70R-3BLD fixed-pitch propeller. According to the manufacturer, the airplane met the design definition of a light sport aircraft (LSA). No aircraft logbooks were available; the Hobbs hour meter read 339.9 hours.
Wreckage Examination
Investigators from the NTSB and FAA examined the wreckage. The main fuel valve near the pilot's knee was found in the ON position. The left wing root fuel valve was OFF, and the right wing fuel valve was nearly OFF, approximately 7 degrees from the full OFF position (requiring a 90-degree rotation between full ON and full OFF). The fuel hose below the valve had been cut, and a slow fuel drip was observed. Downstream of the valves, the fuel lines, sump tank, fuel filter, and carburetor bowls were empty. The fuel pump switch was ON, and both fuel tanks were nearly full of aviation 100LL fuel.
Flight control continuity was established from each wing root to the controls, though cockpit damage prevented a full continuity check. No other mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation were noted.
Medical Findings
Toxicology tests performed by the FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute detected no carbon monoxide, cyanide, or volatiles. Drugs found included Amlodipine (in urine and blood), ibuprofen (in urine), Lorazepam (in urine and blood), and Metoprolol (in urine and blood). A postmortem examination by the Oregon State Medical Examiner attributed the cause of death to blunt force chest trauma.