Accident Overview
On June 22, 2014, at approximately 1117 central daylight time, a Bollinger BD-4 experimental amateur-built airplane, registration N108BC, impacted terrain adjacent to the Fairfield Municipal Airport (KFFL) in Fairfield, Iowa. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Flight Sequence
The accident flight was local and originating at the time of the event. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Witnesses observed the airplane take off from runway 18, execute a 90-degree left turn, then descend and collide with terrain approximately 600 feet east of the runway. A post-impact fire ensued.
Post-Accident Investigation
Four Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors responded to the scene. According to the lead inspector, all major structural components of the airplane were accounted for except for the propeller blades. Several days after the accident, the airport manager notified the FAA that while mowing grass, he had discovered two of the three propeller blades. Examination of photographs taken of these blades revealed damage consistent with separation in flight. Neither blade exhibited impact or thermal damage. The breaks at the hub were pulled straight out rather than bent. The third propeller blade was never located.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The aircraft was an amateur-built experimental category airplane. The pilot was the registered owner and operator. No further details about the pilot or aircraft history are specified in the source.
No probable cause has been stated in the investigation source.