Accident Overview
On March 26, 2014, at approximately 1700 Atlantic Standard Time, an unregistered airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted the ground while maneuvering for landing at Patillas Airport (X64), Patillas, Puerto Rico. The airline transport pilot and builder of the airplane was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the accident flight was the pilot's first flight in the airplane. The airplane struck the ground about 750 feet southwest of the runway 10 threshold at X64. No witnesses were observed.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a single-seat, tailwheel-equipped aircraft constructed from wood, steel tube, and fabric. It was powered by a single 4-cylinder reciprocating automobile engine fitted with a wooden propeller. Documentation recovered from the pilot's home indicated that the design was based on a commercially-available set of plans for an ultralight aircraft, which the pilot modified during construction. No records of the airplane's build, modification, maintenance history, or flight test plan were found.
Accident Site Examination
Photographs from the accident site revealed that the airplane came to rest upright approximately 10 feet from a tree with several broken branches. The left aileron and outboard portion of the left wing separated from the airplane and lay under the tree. The cockpit area, right main landing gear, and right wing exhibited significant aft crushing and displacement, while the left wing root showed minor damage and forward displacement. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers, rudder, and elevators remained intact and attached. The engine stayed attached to the airframe, and the two-bladed wooden propeller remained on the engine. One blade was fractured aft near the hub, splintered and bent beneath the engine; the other blade was intact with gouging along its leading edge and a crack extending about 3 inches inward from its tip. Control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to all flight control surfaces.
Engine Examination
The airplane was recovered to a hangar, and the engine was examined on May 6, 2014. The battery showed 12 volts, the fuel tank contained approximately 3 gallons of fuel, and the engine oil level was full. Fuel system continuity from the tank to the engine was established, as was throttle and fuel mixture control continuity from the cockpit. The top spark plugs were removed and exhibited normal wear. Visual inspection of the cylinders revealed no anomalies. The crankshaft was rotated by hand at the propeller, and compression was obtained on all cylinders.
Weather Conditions
The 1656 weather observation at Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (JSJ), San Juan, Puerto Rico, about 27 nautical miles north of the accident location, included wind from 50 degrees at 13 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 4,700 feet, temperature 29°C, dew point 20°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single- and multi-engine land and instrument airplane, as well as an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for rotorcraft-helicopter. He also held a repairman experimental aircraft builder certificate issued in 2004 for a Vans Aircraft RV-8. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued in November 2013, at which time he reported 3,800 total hours of flight experience. The pilot's logbooks were not found.
Postmortem and Toxicology
An autopsy performed by the Institute of Forensic Sciences, San Juan, Puerto Rico, listed the cause of death as "blunt force trauma." Toxicological testing by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and drugs.
Advisory Circular Guidance
FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 90-89A, Amateur-Built Aircraft and Ultralight Flight Testing Handbook, states that test flying an aircraft is a critical undertaking requiring thorough planning, skill, and common sense. The circular emphasizes developing a comprehensive flight test plan individually tailored to the aircraft's performance, to be completed before the first flight, with the objective of determining controllability and detecting hazardous characteristics. It provides guidance on preparing for airworthiness inspection, weight and balance, taxi tests, flight testing, and emergency procedures, with a suggested flight testing regimen of 40-plus hours divided into 10-hour segments.