History of Flight
On July 5, 2014, at approximately 1104 eastern daylight time, a Flight Design GMBH CT-SW 2006, registration N508CT, collided with trees and then the ground shortly after takeoff from Royalton Airport in Gasport, New York. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
According to FAA personnel, witnesses reported that the pilot performed an engine run-up at the approach end of runway 7, then back-taxied down the runway, turned around, and initiated takeoff from runway 25. At rotation, the airplane appeared to pitch up higher than normal, followed by up-and-down pitch oscillations and left bank oscillations, climbing no higher than approximately 75 feet. The airplane began a slow bank to the left before impacting trees south of the runway in a left-wing-low attitude. The airplane came to rest nearly inverted on an easterly heading in a heavily wooded area. Witnesses called 911, and the pilot was rescued and transported to a hospital, where he died on July 16, 2014.
Aircraft and Personnel
The pilot, age 78, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multi-engine land ratings and type ratings in B727 and DC-9. He also held commercial pilot certificates for rotorcraft-helicopter and instrument helicopter, with a type rating in SK-58. Additionally, he held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land rating and a flight engineer certificate with turbojet and turboprop ratings. He held a third-class medical certificate with a limitation for glasses for near vision, issued on May 24, 2011. On his last medical application, he listed total flight time of 30,225 hours and weight of 222 pounds. No previous accidents, incidents, or FAA enforcement actions were on record.
A review of the pilot's logbook from September 12, 2012, to May 21, 2014, showed 20 flights in the accident airplane totaling 34.5 hours. The first flight on September 17, 2012, was associated with the date he purchased the airplane and was logged as dual received and pilot-in-command (PIC). Subsequent flights were logged only as PIC.
The airplane was manufactured in 2006 by Flight Design GmbH as model CT-SW 2006, serial number 06-10-06. It was powered by a Rotax 912 ULS carbureted engine rated at 100 horsepower maximum for 5 minutes at 5,800 rpm, or 95 horsepower continuous at 5,500 rpm. It was equipped with a fixed-pitch propeller.
Review of maintenance records showed the last annual inspection was signed off on June 24, 2014. The airframe logbook indicated that the autopilot computer was overhauled at the factory, and an invoice from the pilot's son stated that the inoperative roll servo was removed and a loaner roll servo was installed and rigged. At that time, total airframe time was 317.1 hours.
According to the mechanic who performed the last annual inspection, after installing the overhauled autopilot computer and loaner roll servo, he test flew the airplane twice totaling about 1.2 hours. During both flights, he operated the autopilot and reported no discrepancies with the system, including the loaner roll servo.
Wreckage and Examination
The airplane crashed in a heavily wooded area south of the runway and came to rest nearly inverted on an easterly heading at coordinates 43°10.87'N, 078°33.41'W. This location was approximately 180 feet south of the southern runway edge and 242 feet at 133 degrees from the last GPS in-flight target.
After recovery, an inspection by FAA and airframe manufacturer representatives revealed the flaps were symmetrically extended 15 degrees, matching the flap selector. The ballistic parachute was not deployed. Examination of flight controls for roll, pitch, and yaw showed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
The cockpit examination found the choke off, throttle full forward, and brake off. The ballistic parachute activation safety pin remained in place. The airspeed indicator read near zero. The onboard FLYdat engine monitor and Garmin 396 GPS receiver were retained and sent to the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Division for readout.
Engine examination by a manufacturer representative with FAA oversight confirmed crankshaft, camshaft, and valve train continuity. Compression was noted in all cylinders. Hand rotation showed no unusual gearbox sounds. Impact damage to the radiator was noted, but coolant was present in the expansion tank. Carburetor bowls had corrosion inside. The engine was shipped for operational testing.
During operational testing, a calibrated test club propeller pitched for 5,600 rpm was installed. The oil tank was replaced to avoid contamination, and the muffler was replaced due to crushing. The engine was placed on a test stand with no additional work. After purging air from the oil system, a slight fuel leak was noted between the fuel pump and carburetor. The engine started and operated to 5,600 rpm for about 2 minutes. Magnetos checked good, and ignition components from the accident were used. Oil pressure and temperature were within limits, and no discrepancies were noted. The engine was secured and operated a second time with no discrepancies.
Examination of the three-bladed propeller showed all blades fractured at varying lengths.
Additional Information
Weight and balance calculations used an empty weight of 715 pounds and pilot weight of 222 pounds. Fuel load at the time of the accident could not be determined; for calculation, each wing tank was considered full, resulting in 33.0 gallons usable fuel. At 6 pounds per gallon, fuel weight was 198 pounds. The calculated weight at engine start was 1,135 pounds, approximately 188 pounds below the maximum takeoff weight of 1,323 pounds.
According to the NTSB Performance Study, the aircraft's true airspeed (TAS) for the last GPS points was approximately 46 knots. Assuming a smooth coordinated turn between the last three GPS points, the turn radius was calculated at 368 feet. Based on TAS of 46 knots and radius of 368 feet, the necessary bank angle was about 27 degrees for lift to balance centripetal force. The study indicated that the near 30 degrees of bank needed to maneuver between those points correlates to flying about 4 knots above stall speed. Given the wreckage location 230 feet from the final GPS point on an easterly track, assuming a single banked turn, the bank angle would have needed to increase beyond 27 degrees, and stall speed would have continued to increase.
The pilot's son reported that three days after the accident, after the pilot's breathing tube was removed, the son asked if the pilot was aware of what occurred; the pilot nodded yes. When asked about a flight control issue, the pilot nodded yes strongly. When asked if the issue was related to the autopilot, the pilot again nodded yes strongly.