History of Flight
On July 12, 2014, at about 1619 eastern daylight time, a Culver LFA, registration N41716, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged after impacting trees during initial climb from Limington Airport (63B), Limington, Maine. The pilot, who held an airline transport pilot certificate, was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Part 91 and visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed for the planned trip to Twitchell Airport (3B5), Turner, Maine.
A witness, a private pilot based at the airport, observed the accident airplane depart runway 29, a 2,973-foot-long asphalt runway. He saw the airplane low, about 60 feet above ground level, approximately 2,000 feet down the runway. The airplane was very slow with the nose high, appearing as if it could stall at any moment. Engine noise sounded normal, with no sputtering. The airplane then stalled to the left and struck trees off the left side of the runway. Two other witnesses near the departure end of the runway reported hearing a momentary sputter of engine noise, followed by a return to power. The engine then seemed normal for 5 to 10 seconds before the sound of impact. They noted the airplane was not as high as expected at the runway's end.
Personnel Information
The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a multiengine land rating and a commercial pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA first-class medical certificate was issued on April 30, 2014, at which time he reported 5,995 total flight hours, with 195 hours in the previous six months. His electronic logbook showed 22.7 hours in the accident airplane, with 20.4 hours in the preceding 90 days and 0 hours in the last 30 days, though the last entry was June 6, 2014, and subsequent flights may not have been entered.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, low-wing, retractable tailwheel airplane, serial number 433, was manufactured in 1942. It was powered by a Continental Motors C-85-12F, 85-horsepower engine, with a McCauley two-blade fixed-pitch propeller. The most recent annual inspection was completed on September 5, 2013, at which time the airframe had 1,757.15 total hours and the engine had 87.16 hours since a major overhaul in 1978. The airplane had flown about 28 hours since that inspection. The pilot purchased the airplane on September 27, 2013.
Meteorological Information
Portland International Jetport (PWM), about 20 miles southeast of the accident site, reported weather at 2051: wind from 170 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, broken ceiling at 25,000 feet, temperature 23°C, dew point 16°C, and altimeter 30.15 inHg. An FAA carburetor icing chart indicated "Serious Icing (glide power)" for those conditions, but the throttle was found in the full-forward position.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest in trees in a nose-down, upright attitude on a northerly heading about 250 feet south of the runway. The 20-gallon header fuel tank was compromised, and a strong fuel odor was present. Both main landing gear were extended and partially separated. Wings remained attached with leading edge crush damage; ailerons were attached. The empennage was intact but canted left. Control continuity was confirmed for elevator, rudder, and ailerons to the cockpit, and elevator trim continuity was verified.
The cockpit was crushed, but lapbelts remained intact. Throttle and mixture controls were full forward; magneto switch was on Both; the key was broken. Carburetor heat was off; primer was in and locked; fuel valve was safety-wired open. The propeller remained attached; one blade had an s-bend near the tip, the other less damaged.
The engine was examined at the manufacturer's facility under NTSB supervision. Substantial damage to the propeller flange prevented a test run. Disassembly revealed no anomalies or mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
A handheld Garmin GPSMAP 396 was recovered and data were downloaded. The plot showed the airplane on takeoff roll at 25 knots groundspeed at 1619:04. It lifted off about halfway down the runway at 51 knots, with a 7-foot GPS altitude gain at 1619:21. At 1619:28, it was about 73 feet agl over the runway at 51 knots, approximately 2,200 feet down the runway, then drifted left. At 1619:35, it was left of the runway at 46 knots about 135 feet agl (highest altitude). The final data point at 1619:39 indicated 39 knots at 63 feet agl over the accident site.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on July 14, 2014, by the State of Maine Medical Examiner's Office listed the cause of death as "multiple blunt force injuries." Toxicological testing by the FAA was negative for drugs and alcohol.