History of Flight
On October 20, 2012, at about 1504 eastern daylight time, a Swift Museum Foundation, Inc., GC-1A, N80823, owned by the pilot, impacted the water of Moriches Inlet, East Moriches, New York. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight from Spadaro Airport (1N2), East Moriches, New York, to Republic Airport (FRG), Farmingdale, New York. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from 1N2 about 1455.
An airframe and powerplant mechanic who signed off the last condition inspection was at the south end of 1N2 when the accident flight departed. He reported that his attention was caught by the sound; the airplane was past the departure end of the runway about 100 feet above ground level. He described hearing an abnormal noise from the engine, which he called an "after noise." When asked if it was an after fire, he said it was not. He did not observe any smoke trailing the airplane, which then disappeared from view. The witness was not wearing his hearing aids at the time, as they were being repaired.
Data downloaded from the onboard GPS receiver indicated that after takeoff, the flight proceeded south to the southern coast of Long Island while climbing to 1,473 feet, then turned west, paralleling the coastline and climbing to a maximum altitude of 2,602 feet at 1459:10. The airplane continued on a westerly heading along the southern coast, descended to 2,383 feet, and at 1500:47 made a right turn to the north. It continued north, descended to 1,812 feet, and at 1501:37 turned to an easterly heading, then to a southeasterly heading toward the southern coast. The flight then turned easterly with decreasing altitude and a steady groundspeed of about 86 knots. Just west of Moriches Inlet, at 1504:14, the GPS altitude was 60 feet and groundspeed 85 knots; seven seconds later, altitude was 87 feet and groundspeed 75 knots. The final target at 1504:22 showed altitude 89 feet and groundspeed 67 knots, located at 40 degrees 45.8736 minutes North latitude, 072 degrees 45.396 minutes West longitude.
A witness driving eastbound on the beach about 200 yards west of the Moriches Inlet jetty reported that the accident airplane flew over his vehicle about 30 feet above ground level. He heard a sputtering engine and assumed the airplane was in distress and would land on the beach. He lost sight of it and assumed it had impacted the water. He proceeded to the area and observed boaters securing the airplane with anchor lines. Another witness on the west jetty also reported a sputtering engine.
Another individual on the beach 1,000 to 1,500 feet west of the inlet reported seeing the airplane flying low eastward. The airplane appeared to spook a flock of birds that became airborne. The witness then observed the airplane pitch up, followed by the nose pitching down, and it crashed into the water.
According to the FAA inspector-in-charge, the accident pilot did not establish contact with any FAA air traffic control facility during the flight, and no radar data was available.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 51, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating and a third-class medical certificate issued September 7, 2011, with no limitations. On his last medical application, he listed 480 hours total flight time and 20 hours in the last six months. No enforcement action was recorded, and he did not hold a repairman certificate. An aircraft insurance application dated August 21, 2012, listed total time as 500 hours and 15 hours in tailwheel-equipped airplanes in the last 90 days; his last flight review was in July 2012.
The passenger, age 72, was last issued a student pilot medical certificate on August 16, 2006. On that application, he listed 300 hours total time. No record indicated he obtained further pilot certificates.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was manufactured in 1946 by Globe Aircraft Corporation as model GC-1, serial number 226, certificated in the normal category per Civil Air Regulation 4A, originally equipped with an 85-horsepower Continental C85-12 engine and a fixed-pitch propeller. It was later modified and placed in the experimental category in 1963 for tests including installation of a 180-horsepower Lycoming O-360-A1A engine, leading edge and rudder changes, and tip tank installation. Operating limitations expired in 1963, but the airplane remained in the experimental category with no expiration date after October 1979.
The fuel system comprised two main tanks in the wing center section (total capacity 27.8 gallons) and two fiberglass tip tanks. The fuel selector indicated "176" for left and right tip tanks. The engine had an exhaust system similar to that of a Mooney M20A or M20B but modified.
The pilot purchased the airplane in December 2011 and took delivery on August 25, 2012, at Waterbury-Oxford Airport, Connecticut. The mechanic who performed the last condition inspection did not perform a pre-buy inspection. The airplane was based at Republic Airport, New York.
The cockpit and cabin heat system used a shroud on the exhaust manifold, a scat hose, and a valve controlled by a Bowden wire. Fresh air was provided via a scat hose from the engine cowling and a valve on the lower center of the instrument panel.
Maintenance records from the last condition inspection (signed off as completed on October 11, 2012) contained only one entry. The mechanic later reported signing off on the wrong date. During inspection, the left-side exhaust was found cracked; it was repaired at a non-aviation facility using ER705-2 steel rod without a jig. The repair person recommended a new exhaust and had no prior aircraft exhaust welding experience. The mechanic advised the pilot to check for stress or misalignment when installing; the pilot said there was none.
The mechanic began the inspection about one week before the accident, using no reference data (no maintenance manuals or checklists). He did not test fly the airplane after the inspection, but the pilot flew it on three takeoffs and landings without reporting discrepancies.
The engine logbook showed entries from February 2, 1960, to October 11, 2012, with gaps. The Lycoming O-360-A1A engine was overhauled and installed in 1967; no record of removal since. No record of work on the exhaust system except the last condition inspection.
Data from the GPS receiver showed flights on October 7, 13, and 18, 2012, prior to the accident. Total flight durations were about 1 hour 27 minutes on October 13 and 1 hour 12 minutes on October 18.
Meteorological Information
A surface observation at HWV Airport at 1456, about 10 minutes before the accident, indicated wind from 200 degrees at 12 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 19°C, dew point 14°C, and altimeter 29.68 inHg. The accident site was about 5.8 nautical miles at 123 degrees from HWV.
Flight Recorders
The airplane was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or flight data recorder. It had a Garmin GPSMAP 196 receiver. The unit was sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory. Internal corrosion was noted; the memory image was downloaded. Track data from August 26 to October 20, 2012, was extracted. The accident flight was recorded from 18:50:41 to 19:04:22 UTC.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage came to rest inverted near the west edge of the Moriches Inlet jetty. Bystanders tied ropes to the airplane to prevent sinking. The location was 40 degrees 45.9 minutes North, 072 degrees 45.3 minutes West. The airplane and components were recovered from the water about 2300 hours the same day. Photos showed the right wing still attached; it was removed for transport to an impound yard.
Inspection by NTSB, FAA, and engine manufacturer representatives occurred. All components necessary for flight except both flaps were recovered. No evidence of bird strikes was found. The left wing was fractured and separated just outboard of the attach point but recovered. Horizontal and vertical stabilizers were separated but recovered. The engine remained attached to the airframe, and the propeller remained attached to the engine. The upper engine cowling was not found.
Examination of the left wing and center section revealed the main spar was attached but bent aft and fractured about 12 inches outboard of the attach bolt. The aft spar fitting was bent forward and fractured. The separated wing section had a 45-degree compression wrinkle on the upper skin. Aileron control cables remained attached to the bellcrank but were pulled inboard and fractured. The aileron remained attached; the flap was separated and not recovered. The inboard 39 inches of the leading edge was crushed. The fuel cap was in place; with the airplane nose-low, fuel escaped when unscrewed, consistent with a nearly full tank. The tip tank was separated and breached with no fuel. Air blown through the fuel line to the engine compartment with the fuel selector in the as-found "B" position showed no obstructions. The main landing gear was down and locked.
Examination of the right wing and center section showed the outer panel was removed during recovery. The main spar was displaced aft. Fuel dripping from the tip tank supply line was captured and found to be blue fuel (consistent with 100LL) mixed with water. The inboard 38 inches of the leading edge was crushed aft. The tip tank was breached and empty; air blown through the supply line showed no obstructions. The aileron remained attached; the middle hinge was bent. The flap was separated and not recovered. A metal fuel tank in the wing cavity had no fuel cap provision. The main landing gear was down and locked. A compression wrinkle was noted in the lower wing skin. The flap actuator push/pull rod exhibited bending overload.
Examination of the fuselage and empennage revealed the fuselage was circumferentially fractured near the rear window and held by cables. Compression wrinkles were on the right side aft of the battery compartment. The vertical stabilizer was separated; its front spar rivets were sheared, and the aft spar bracket exhibited overload fracture. The rudder was separated from the stabilizer but connected by cables. Both horizontal stabilizers were separated at the root with overload failure. Elevator control surfaces remained attached to each horizontal stabilizer; the elevator trim tab appeared neutral. The elevator jackscrew had four full threads exposed aft of the housing. The flap actuator cylinder was at the forward stop, consistent with flaps full down.
Examination of the cockpit showed the front windshield was nearly missing. The No. 1 communication transceiver was set to FRG ATIS frequency 126.650 MHz. The knob controlling cabin heat was partially extended; the fresh air knob was extended about 1.75 inches and bent to the right. Bowden wire continuity was established, but movement of the cabin heat knob did not move the valve at the firewall; the cable housing was secured by only one plastic tie wrap. The corresponding valve positions on the cockpit and firewall sides were both open, though impact damage was noted to the lower left firewall. The fresh air valve on the firewall side was completely closed. The fuel selector was in the "B" position, supplying fuel from both wing tip tanks.
A fuel sample of about 9 ounces from the main tank contained just under 6 ounces of cloudy water (consistent with salt water) and the remainder blue fuel (consistent with 100LL). A second sample of 8 ounces was entirely blue fuel. Testing the fuel supply system with the selector in the main position showed no obstructions to the engine compartment.
Examination of the Lycoming O-360-A1A engine (serial number L-2038-36) revealed the No. 3 cylinder top spark plug lead was finger loose with abrasion damage to the barrel nut. The intake and exhaust valve pushrod seals for the No. 4 cylinder were pushed in; impact damage was noted on the left side of the engine, with no evidence of an oil leak. The exhaust stack assembly for the No. 2 cylinder was separated at the muffler inlet. A crease on the lower portion of the No. 2 cylinder exhaust stack extended about 3.0 inches from the fracture surface, nearly collapsing the wall thickness near the fracture.