History of Flight
On July 20, 2014, at about 1130 central daylight time, an Oden Weldon Pat Kitfox IV Speedster, experimental amateur-built airplane, N622P, impacted terrain near Blackwell, Texas. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the aircraft was substantially damaged. The aircraft was not registered and was operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from a private grass airstrip about half a mile from the accident site.
According to the pilot's wife, he left for the airstrip around 1000 to adjust the carburetor on the engine. When he did not return, she contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) about 1822. DPS located the wreckage about 2015.
Personnel Information
The pilot, aged 71, held a commercial pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. At his last medical examination on June 13, 2001, he reported 800 total flying hours and 25 hours in the preceding 6 months. His third-class medical certificate expired on June 30, 2003, and carried a limitation requiring corrective lenses for near and distance vision.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, serial number ICS 132, was manufactured in 1995. Its original registration was issued on November 18, 1994, and canceled on August 7, 2013. It was powered by a single Rotax 912UL carbureted 4-cylinder horizontally opposed reciprocating engine rated at 80 horsepower. The Hobbs meter showed 549.3 hours at the accident site.
Meteorological Information
At 1055, the automated surface reporting system at Avenger Field Airport (SWW) in Sweetwater, Texas, reported wind from 170 degrees true at 14 knots gusting to 18 knots, visibility 10 statute miles and clear, temperature 29°C, dew point 21°C, and altimeter 30.09 inches of mercury. SWW is about 22 miles north of the accident site.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted a wooded area about 5 miles west of Blackwell. The main wreckage contained all primary structural components and flight control surfaces, sitting upright in a 60-degree nose-down attitude. The right wing leading edge rested against a tree, showing impact marks and aft crushing outboard of mid-span. The left wing was broken upward and crushed aft along its leading edge. The engine cowling and engine were crushed aft into the firewall; the main landing gear was broken aft. The forward cockpit was broken upward and aft; the cabin ceiling frame and top Plexiglas window were broken downward; the instrument panel broke downward; the windscreen was broken out. The fuselage aft of the rear cockpit seat was bent downward 90 degrees and twisted left about 30 degrees. The empennage and tailwheel were intact. One of the three composite propeller blades was broken aft and under the engine; another showed aft bending; the third showed no damage. Flight control continuity was confirmed. The engine was retained for examination. A ground impact mark was located beneath the propeller, engine, and forward cockpit.
Additional Information
According to the manufacturer, the standard Bing constant depression diaphragm carburetors were not installed; an aftermarket #32 AeroInjector throttle body system with a custom intake manifold was present. Rotax Service Letter SL-912-014 stated that third-party after-market replacement kits, modifications, and non-genuine Rotax components are not approved and may result in engine damage and/or failure. The custom intake manifolds connecting the AeroInjector to the stock Rotax intakes were made of material similar to exhaust tubing, with extremely poor quality welded flanges. These manifolds were damaged from impact; it was not determined how they would have affected engine performance, reliability, and efficiency.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on July 22, 2014, in Lubbock, Texas, determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries of the head, torso, and extremities due to an aircraft mishap. FAA toxicology tests detected carvedilol, losartan, ranitidine, and zolpidem in urine and cavity blood.
Tests and Research
On December 17, 2014, the engine was examined at Rotech Research Canada, Limited, in Vernon, British Columbia, Canada. No anomalies were found that would have precluded normal power production.