History of Flight
On May 9, 2012, about 1110 central daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Gutierrez Hummel Bird airplane, N9001N, crashed in a nose-down attitude at DeFuniak Springs Airport (54J), DeFuniak Springs, Florida. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, which was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to eyewitness reports, the pilot had performed maintenance on the airplane prior to the flight. One witness observed a lengthy preflight, hand-starting the engine, a ground run-up, and taxi to runway 27. The airplane accelerated, rolled down the runway, rotated, and climbed about 30 to 40 feet above the runway before varying altitude. Witnesses saw the airplane porpoise several times as it continued climbing. At an estimated altitude of 300 feet above ground level, it pitched nose-high and rolled right, then nosedived and struck the ground at an approximate 80-degree nose-down attitude. The airplane came to rest on its main gear upright, facing 120 degrees from the departing runway.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 77, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane, as well as a flight instructor certificate for airplane single-engine land. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on April 10, 2012, with a limitation of special time limited; however, a letter mailed to him on May 5, 2012, withdrew his medical certificate. A review of his pilot logbook showed the most recent entry dated March 15, 2012, with 527.5 total flight hours, of which 0.3 hours were in the accident airplane make and model. The most recent recorded flight review was August 22, 1997; however, entries in February and March 2012 included training with a flight instructor signature for takeoffs and landings, emergency procedures, and failures.
Aircraft Information
The single-seat, low-wing, all-metal construction, fixed-gear airplane, serial number 001, was manufactured in 2012. It was powered by a 37-hp, 2-cylinder Hummel Engine (half of a Volkswagen engine) and a Culver 2-bladed wooden propeller. Maintenance records indicated a conditional inspection by the pilot on January 9, 2010, and a special airworthiness certificate issued on January 10, 2010. The most recent airframe logbook entry, dated April 12, 2012, recorded tachometer time of 7.7 hours and stated, "Adjusted horizontal stabilizer = increase nose-down pitch." The most recent engine logbook entry, dated March 24, 2010, recorded tachometer time of 3.0 hours.
Meteorological Information
Data recorded at 1125 from Bob Sikes Airport (CEW), Crestview, Florida, 19 miles west of the accident site, included variable wind at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, scattered clouds at 2,200 and 3,000 feet agl, and a broken cloud layer at 11,000 feet agl. Temperature was 27°C, dew point 20°C, and altimeter 29.89 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted the ground in a nose- and right-wing-low attitude, coming to rest upright. The nose exhibited crush damage in the positive and aft direction, consistent with eyewitness reports of an almost 80-degree nose-down attitude. The airplane rested on a heading of 030 degrees. The initial impact location was a crater about 2 feet deep, containing one wooden propeller blade; the other blade was found nearby. The outboard half of the right wing leading edge showed crush damage, more pronounced at the wing tip.
Additional Information
Fuel records from the airport indicated the pilot's most recent fuel purchase was 1.94 gallons on April 16, 2012.
A review of the pilot's FAA medical records showed that on May 5, 2012, a letter was issued withdrawing his medical certificate (issued April 10, 2012) due to a recent change in medication for his medical condition. The certified letter was delivered to his residence on May 10, 2012.
According to the FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine, a letter from the Aviation Medical Examiner (AME) reported that during the most recent medical exam, the pilot told the AME "…he was having great difficulty with longitudinal stability, and was unable to complete even one pattern after multiple attempts. More than one of these attempted test flights ended with forced landings, and damage to the aircraft such that it had to be carried back to his hangar for repair. He noted his weight gain caused him to be 'over gross' most likely causing his control problem." The AME further reported that he had "advised the pilot, as did other friends, to stop trying to fly this plane and simply get a larger aircraft capable of carrying him."
A center of gravity calculations form dated June 2, 2011, found with the airplane maintenance records indicated an empty weight of 333 pounds (excluding pilot and fuel), CG limits of 8.25–11.25 inches rear of datum, and a maximum gross weight of 530 pounds. Calculations using the pilot's most recent medical information and 2 gallons of fuel showed a takeoff weight of 561.2 pounds with a CG of 11.14 inches rear of datum. With full fuel, takeoff weight was 588 pounds and CG was 10.216 inches rear of datum.
The Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge (FAA-H-8083-25A) states in Chapter 4: "Generally, an aircraft becomes less controllable, especially at slow flight speeds, as the CG is moved further aft. An aircraft which cleanly recovers from a prolonged spin with the CG at one position may fail completely to respond to normal recovery attempts when the CG is moved aft by one or two inches…" Chapter 8 states: "Compliance with the weight and balance limits of any airplane is critical to flight safety. Operating an airplane above the maximum weight limitation compromises the structural integrity of the airplane and adversely affects its performance…an overloaded airplane may not be able to leave the ground, or if it does become airborne, it may exhibit unexpected and unusually poor flight characteristics…excessive weight reduces the flight performance of an airplane in almost every respect. The most important performance deficiencies of the overloaded airplane are…higher stalling speed." It also notes: "…if the CG is displaced too far aft on the longitudinal axis, a tail-heavy condition will result. It is possible that an unfavorable location of the CG could produce such an unstable condition that the pilot could not control the airplane…"
Medical and Pathological Information
The Florida State Medical Examiner's Office, Pensacola, Florida, conducted a postmortem examination of the pilot. The cause of death was "blunt impact to the head and neck."
Toxicology tests by the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) were negative for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol. Tests were positive for Norverapamil, Verapamil, and Losartan in urine and blood, which are used to treat high blood pressure, angina, and hypertension—conditions the pilot had reported.