Accident Overview
On July 6, 2013, at approximately 1845 eastern daylight time, an unregistered JDT 1600R amateur-built airplane impacted terrain while maneuvering near Chesaning, Michigan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire. The flight was operated under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight in visual meteorological conditions. The flight originated from the Howard Nixon Memorial Airport at an undetermined time and was not operated on a flight plan.
Witness Accounts
One witness reported that the airplane's engine was inordinately loud and drew her attention. She saw the airplane heading north, then banking to the west. As it turned, the wings appeared to be "fluttering," after which the airplane entered a nose dive. Her view of the impact was blocked by a building, but once past it, she saw a plume of smoke and burning wreckage.
Another witness saw the airplane heading north when it banked to the east and began to spin out of control. He described the engine sounding as if it was "cutting out" during the spin. The airplane struck the ground and immediately caught fire.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The pilot had been issued a student pilot certificate and a third-class medical certificate on March 21, 2006. No pilot flight logbooks were recovered, so the level of training the pilot had achieved could not be determined.
The airplane was a single-seat monoplane with a fixed conventional (tail wheel) landing gear configuration. It was constructed primarily of wood with a fabric covering and powered by a two-cylinder, two-stroke Rotax engine, the exact model of which could not be determined. The engine featured a gear reduction unit that reduced crankshaft speed to drive a wood two-blade propeller.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that most of the fuselage was consumed by fire. The inboard sections of both wings and portions of the tail surfaces exhibited extensive fire damage. All flight control surfaces were attached or partially attached to the airframe. A full examination of the flight control system was not possible due to fire damage, but the portions examined showed no preimpact anomalies.
Engine examination showed that all teeth on the smaller gear in the propeller gear reduction unit were broken off. Additionally, the ball retaining cage on one of the ball bearings supporting the propeller shaft had failed, and several balls were missing from the bearing. A sludge-like substance resembling old oil was present in the gear reduction case; no liquid oil was found. No maintenance records for the airplane were located.