History of Flight
On February 16, 2014, about 1311 central standard time, a Scott L. Hillam Rans S10 airplane, N3000V, impacted terrain following an inflight breakup near Shepherd, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. The flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight departed Lake Water Wheel Airport (XS99), Shepherd, Texas, about 1245. A ground witness reported that the pilot made a radio transmission announcing his intention to perform a rolling maneuver. Multiple witnesses observed the airplane roll through an inverted position and then transition into a steep dive. During the dive, the elevator moved rapidly back and forth, followed by a wing separating from the fuselage. The airplane subsequently impacted the ground at a steep angle.
Pilot Information
The pilot, age 77, began flying ultralight aircraft in 1983 and recorded 764 flight hours in his logbook as of February 26, 2007. A review of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) database revealed the pilot did not hold a pilot or medical certificate. The pilot did possess a valid driver's license and was a member of the United States Ultralight Association.
Aircraft Information
The Rans S10 kit airplane, equipped with a Rotax 912 engine, was built by the previous owner and received an airworthiness certificate on May 31, 2002. The accident pilot purchased the airplane on June 20, 2003. A review of logbooks indicated the airplane had been flown about 390 hours, with no inspections recorded since the purchase in 2003.
Meteorological Information
The weather observation station at Cleveland Municipal Airport (6R3), Cleveland, Texas, located about 9 miles southwest of the accident site, reported at 1315: wind 160 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, broken clouds at 3,600 feet above ground level, temperature 24°C, dew point 16°C, altimeter setting 30.06 inches.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted in an open field and came to rest inverted. The left wing was located about 200 yards north of the main wreckage. All flight control surfaces, except the left aileron, were found intact with the main wreckage, and flight control continuity was confirmed to the rudder, elevator, and right aileron. The empennage was twisted. The left front wing spar fractured near the left wing root. Examination of the spar revealed no evidence of pre-existing fatigue fracture propagation and contained 45-degree shear lips, consistent with overload failure. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Additional Information
On January 11, 2014, the pilot wrote in a journal: "... Flew S10 and tried to roll it, aileron only, about 95 mph with horizon just a little low. Hard left aileron, plane inverted then went into dive upside down and spiraling. Thought I maybe was too slow so I tried again at about 105 mph, this time I was spiraling real fast upside down in a dive, even with throttle back off and as I was pulling it out this time I noticed my airspeed was 180 mph. I gradually started pulling it out, pulled 4 ½ Gs, and was down to about 600 feet." The never-exceed speed (Vne) for the Rans S10 is 130 mph. According to a friend, the pilot had recently started attempting aerobatic maneuvers solo. The pilot told him that the elevator tended to "flutter" at higher speeds. After one flight, the pilot said he intended to fly less than 125 mph due to elevator flutter. The friend did not think the pilot had ever received dual aerobatic flight training.
Medical and Pathological Information
On February 18, 2014, an autopsy performed at a Forensic Medical Management Services facility in Beaumont, Texas, determined the cause of death to be multiple traumatic injuries. The FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute conducted toxicology tests; no blood was available. Tests were negative for ethanol in muscle or brain. Amlodipine, tramadol, and tramadol's primary metabolite O-desmethyltramadol were identified in urine and liver. Salicylate was identified in urine. Amlodipine (Norvasc) is a blood pressure medication; its presence and a heart wall thickness of 1.5 cm on autopsy were consistent with hypertension. Tramadol (Ultram) is an analgesic with an FDA warning about sedation, potentially impairing, but without a blood level, its effects could not be determined. Salicylate is a metabolite of aspirin, a non-sedating analgesic.