History of Flight
On July 20, 2011, at approximately 1815 eastern daylight time, an unregistered, experimental Polaris Polar Star flying boat sustained substantial damage when it crashed into the water near Dewees Island, South Carolina. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flying boat was owned and operated by the non-certificated pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a local personal flight. The pilot and the passenger were killed. The flight had originated earlier that day at an unspecified time and location.
Witnesses provided statements to the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. They reported observing the flying boat complete one aero-loop and then begin another. When the aircraft reached the top of the second loop, inverted at an estimated altitude of 1,000 feet above the water, its wing folded. The flying boat dropped straight down into shallow water. Shortly thereafter, sea vessels approached the wreckage to assist the two occupants; one was trapped in the wreckage, and the other was found floating in the water.
Personnel Information
A review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database revealed that the pilot did not hold a pilot certificate. The pilot required, at minimum, a sport pilot license to operate the flying boat.
Aircraft Information
The Polaris Polar Star is a two-place, tandem design, weight-shift-control trike made of fabric and aluminum tubing, attached to an inflatable dinghy, and powered by a 64-horsepower Rotax 582 engine. The flying boat's specifications required it to have a registration number issued by the FAA when operated.
Meteorological Information
The closest official weather observation was at Charleston Air Force Base/International Airport (CHS), Charleston, South Carolina, about 20 miles west of the accident site. The 1756 METAR recorded wind from 210 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 16 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, few clouds at 2,500 feet, temperature 35 degrees Celsius, dew point minus 21 degrees Celsius, and altimeter 29.84 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Examination of the aircraft wreckage by an FAA inspector showed no evidence of pre-accident malfunction. Examination of the wing revealed that it failed due to overstress.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, conducted postmortem examinations of the pilot and passenger. The cause of death for both was blunt force trauma.
The FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot. The tests were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and drugs. However, the tests were positive for 0.069 g/dL ethanol in blood, 0.074 g/dL ethanol in vitreous fluid, and 0.074 g/dL ethanol in urine.
Test and Research
FAR Section 91.17(a) prohibits any person from acting or attempting to act as a crewmember of a civil aircraft while having 0.040 g/dL (40.0 mg/dL) or more alcohol in the blood. Adverse clinical symptoms have been noted with blood ethanol levels as low as 20.0 mg/dL (0.020 g/dL).