History of Flight
On December 18, 2012, at about 1400 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Hummel H5, registration N156FH, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain shortly after taking off from Tom B. David Field (CZL) in Calhoun, Georgia. The private pilot and builder of the airplane was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, witnesses reported that the airplane took off from runway 17 with engine sounds, ground roll, and departure all appearing normal. At about 300 feet above ground level, the airplane began a slow roll to the right, reaching approximately 90 degrees of bank and 60 degrees nose-down before descending into trees on a heading of about 300 degrees magnetic. No changes in engine power were heard until impact.
Aircraft Information
The single-place, tailwheel airplane was constructed primarily of metal and powered by a Revmaster R2200D engine. The pilot completed the aircraft on September 17, 2012, and it was issued an FAA Special Airworthiness Certificate with operating limitations. A logbook review revealed that the airplane first flew on September 19, 2012, and had accumulated 3.8 hours before the accident flight, which lasted about 2 minutes.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 76, held a current private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. An FAA review of his logbook indicated a total flight time of 142 hours, with 121.0 hours daylight, 8.7 hours night, 100.6 hours dual, and 41.5 hours solo through the end of July 1969. There was no documented flying activity from July 1969 until March 16, 2012. A flight review occurred on March 16, 2012, in a Piper J3-85, and from March 2012 until the accident, the pilot accumulated an additional 21 hours, of which 3.8 hours were in the accident airplane.
The FAA inspector noted that the pilot did not hold a current FAA medical certificate, but the airplane met the definition of a light sport aircraft, and a current driver's license was appropriate to meet medical requirements.
Meteorological Information
Weather recorded at an airport 13 nautical miles to the southwest at 1353 included clear skies, wind from 300 degrees true at 5 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
According to the FAA inspector, the airplane's initial impact point was in a tree about 50 feet above the ground, at approximately 34 degrees 27.03 minutes north latitude and 084 degrees 55.83 minutes west longitude. The wreckage path descended at an angle of about 60 degrees, heading approximately 290 degrees, and came to rest in a dense thicket about 200 yards from the western edge of the airport property, approximately midfield.
The engine and firewall sustained heat damage, and most of the center section aft of the firewall was consumed by fire. The right wing exhibited compression consistent with an initial right-wing-down impact, and the wooden propeller was broken near the hub flange. The wreckage was moved to a hangar for examination. The throttle and mixture controls were at full power positions, and the carburetor heat control was in the full cold position. Flight control continuity was confirmed, but numerous flight control surfaces were separated from the cockpit controls, consistent with impact overload. The inspector noted no preexisting mechanical anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation determined the cause of death as blunt force trauma of the head, torso, and extremities. The NTSB Medical Factual Report noted that examination of the heart identified atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. The heart weighed 420 grams, the left ventricular wall measured 1.2 cm, and the coronary arteries had severe calcific atherosclerosis. The amount of vessel occlusion was not recorded, but extensive fibrosis and scarring throughout the myocardium were described. Microscopic evaluation of the heart was not conducted.
Toxicological testing by the FAA Forensic Toxicology Research Team identified amlodipine and valsartan in the liver and blood. The NTSB report noted that amlodipine (brand name Norvasc) and valsartan (brand name Diovan) are blood pressure medications. The pilot's wife reported that he used these daily for high blood pressure and had recently complained of episodes of dizziness.