History of Flight
On December 8, 2013, about 0810 mountain standard time, an Aviat Aircraft Inc. Husky A-1C-200 airplane, registration N80MF, impacted terrain near the Los Alamos County Airport (KLAM) in Los Alamos, New Mexico. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured, and the airplane was destroyed. The aircraft was registered to Blackhawk Leasing LLC of Harmony, Minnesota, and operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 cross-country flight. The flight was originating from KLAM at the time of the accident.
The flight had departed Harmony, Minnesota, three days earlier with a planned stop in Iowa to pick up the passenger before continuing to Denver and then to their final destination of Chandler, Arizona. The flight landed at KLAM due to poor weather en route.
Refueling records indicated that the airplane was filled with 32 gallons of fuel on the afternoon of December 7, 2013.
The crew of a small commuter plane reported talking to the accident pilot and passenger the morning of the accident flight. The commuter crew arrived on the morning of December 8 and noted that the runway had ½ to 1 inch of snow. While preparing for departure, the commuter pilot recalled that the accident pilot asked via radio whether east takeoffs and west landings were mandatory. The commuter pilot responded that he believed they were, but that the commuter crew had permission from the airport manager to depart west if needed. The commuter pilot added that if they departed to the west, they would turn before the terminal building. The accident pilot replied, "that makes sense, thank you." Shortly after the commuter crew's departure, the accident pilot announced his taxi on runway 27.
No distress calls from the pilot were reported. Two witnesses saw the airplane. One reported seeing it appear out of whirling snow and then make a 180-degree turn. The other saw it about 100 feet in the air make a steep left bank turn before disappearing from sight.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last Class 3 medical exam was on January 7, 2011, with the limitation "must have available glasses for near vision." At that time, he reported 500 total flight hours and 100 hours in the last six months.
The passenger also held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His last Class 3 medical exam was on June 5, 2013, reporting 151 total flight hours and 2.5 hours in the last six months.
Aircraft Information
The Aviat Husky is a tandem two-seat, high-wing airplane with a steel tube frame and fabric-covered fuselage. It was powered by a 200-horsepower Lycoming IO-360-A1D6 reciprocating engine driving an MT three-bladed constant-speed propeller. Flight controls were installed at each seat. The accident airplane was manufactured in 2012 and received its standard airworthiness certificate on July 2, 2012. FAA records show the pilot purchased the airplane on July 2, 2012.
Meteorological Information
At 0815, the automated weather observation facility at KLAM reported wind from 270 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 23 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 26°F, dew point 14°F, and barometric pressure of 29.78 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was about 900 feet south of the airport runway in a lightly wooded ravine. The wreckage area included several impact scars about 25 feet in front of the wreckage. The airplane came to rest upright, turned about 180 degrees and facing the first impact point on a westerly heading. A post-crash fire consumed much of the airplane. Control continuity was established at each control surface except the left flap cable, which was broken. The broken section was removed for further examination. Each blade of the three-bladed wood propeller was splintered and separated before the hub. The engine was removed for examination at a nearby facility.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Medical Investigator in Albuquerque, New Mexico, conducted autopsies on both occupants. The cause of death was determined to be "blunt force injuries" for both.
The FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City performed toxicological testing on both occupants. Specimens were negative for carbon monoxide and ethanol. The pilot tested positive for diphenhydramine in urine and blood (0.198 µg/ml, µg/g). Diphenhydramine is a nonprescription antihistamine used for allergies and colds. It carries a warning that it may impair mental and/or physical ability for hazardous tasks like driving or operating machinery. It is marketed under the trade name Benadryl.
Tests and Research
The broken flap cable was sent to the NTSB Materials Lab in Washington, D.C. for examination. The fractured ends were frayed; some wires exhibited necking and others a slant fracture. The break was consistent with a tensile overstress fracture under high strain rate.
The engine, which had impact and fire damage, was examined off site. Both magnetos and the fuel pump were thermally damaged and could not be examined. The engine was rotated by hand, and a thumb compression test was performed on each cylinder. Engine and valve train continuity was confirmed. Each cylinder was borescoped; no preimpact abnormalities were found that would have prevented normal operation.