History of Flight
On September 4, 2011, at approximately 0935 central daylight time, an experimental-homebuilt Larson Christen Eagle II, registration N88CE, experienced a total loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from Seward Municipal Airport (SWT) in Seward, Nebraska. The airplane impacted a cornfield, and the pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight.
An eyewitness reported seeing the airplane flying low before it turned left and descended into the field. According to paperwork found in the wreckage, the pilot had purchased the airplane on August 18, 2011, and this was his first flight since the purchase. The flight instructor, who had previously owned the airplane, was providing a checkout.
Personnel Information
The pilot, seated in the rear seat, held a private pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land and sea. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on March 16, 2011, at which time he reported 1,700 total flight hours.
The flight instructor, seated in the front seat, held an airline transport pilot certificate for airplane multi-engine land, a commercial pilot certificate for airplane single-engine land, and certified flight instructor certificates for single- and multi-engine land airplanes. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on June 27, 2011, and he reported 9,700 total flight hours.
Meteorological Information
Weather reported at Lincoln Airport (LNK), approximately 16 miles east of the accident site, included wind from 350 degrees at 6 knots, clear skies, visibility 10 miles, temperature 64°F, dewpoint 52°F, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.24 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest upright in a cornfield on a measured heading of 320 degrees, about 1,865 feet from the departure end of runway 34 and 475 feet east of the runway's extended centerline. Substantial damage was sustained to the firewall, fuselage, all four wings, and empennage. All major components were accounted for at the site. Flight control continuity was established for all major controls to the cockpit. No anomalies or blockages were found in the fuel system, and fuel drained from the airplane contained no debris or water. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical deficiencies that would have prevented normal operation.
The airplane was configured so that only the person seated in the rear seat had access to the mixture and propeller controls. Photographs taken shortly after the accident showed the mixture control pulled out approximately 2 inches; the mixture should be full forward during takeoff. The propeller control, located directly below the mixture control, was found full forward. Examination of the mixture control cable from the cockpit to the engine showed it moved freely with no evidence of movement during impact.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies conducted on both occupants by the Nebraska Institute of Forensic Sciences on September 7, 2011, determined the cause of death for each as multiple, severe blunt force trauma of the head, trunk, and extremities.
Toxicological testing by the FAA Toxicology Accident Research Laboratory showed the pilot negative for all tested substances. The flight instructor tested positive for Rosuvastatin (marketed as Crestor, a cholesterol-lowering medication) in liver and cavity blood.
Additional Information
The mixture and propeller control levers were color-coded: the propeller control knob was black, and the mixture control knob was red and slightly larger. Both knobs were round and similar in shape.
The pilot was 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighed 220 pounds, according to his last FAA medical. The cockpit was compact. An FAA inspector of similar stature (6 feet 4 inches) sat in the rear cockpit of another Christen Eagle II and reported difficulty seeing the mixture and propeller controls due to his left leg obstructing the view. He could see the mixture only after pushing his leg aside, which felt awkward. The propeller control, being black, blended into the black background. Another inspector in the front seat could not see the controls even after turning around, and due to the canopy quick release, could not reach them.