History of Flight
On July 27, 2014, about 0110 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Federsen Lancair IVP airplane, registration N40941, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with terrain near Findlay, Ohio. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, but the flight was operated on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The flight originated from West Michigan Regional Airport (BIV), Holland, Michigan, about 0036, with an intended destination of Bluffton Airport (5G7), Bluffton, Ohio.
The pilot contacted the Washington Contracted Flight Service Station at 2352 the previous day, about 40 minutes before the accident flight. He requested an abbreviated weather briefing and filed an IFR flight plan. At 0039, the pilot contacted Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) after departure and requested an IFR clearance to 5G7. Radar contact was established, and the pilot was cleared direct to the destination airport at 15,000 ft mean sea level (msl). At 0048, control was transferred to Cleveland ARTCC. At 0101, the pilot requested a lower altitude, and the controller instructed a descent to 11,000 ft msl.
At 0102, control was transferred to Toledo Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). The approach controller instructed further descents to 4,000 ft msl and then to 3,000 ft msl, providing radar vectors to the final approach course. At 0109, the pilot was cleared direct to CUDOD, the initial approach fix, and cleared for the Area Navigation (RNAV) Global Positioning System (GPS) Runway 23 approach into 5G7. The pilot acknowledged. At 0110, the controller received a low altitude alert related to the accident airplane. Subsequent attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful.
Federal Aviation Administration radar track data showed the airplane descending from 15,000 ft msl as it approached 5G7 from the northwest. About 0105, the airplane proceeded easterly through 10,000 ft msl. About 0109, it began a right turn toward the initial approach fix passing through 4,000 ft msl. The final radar data point was at 0110:08, with a mode-C altitude of 3,000 ft msl, located about 0.62 miles west-northwest of the accident site. The accident site was about 18 miles northeast of runway 23 at 5G7.
A witness on Highway 18, south of the accident site, reported observing the airplane on an east-southeasterly course. It appeared intact but on fire. He was unsure of the fire's exact location. The airplane subsequently descended "straight down" and impacted the ground. A second witness on County Road 18 reported the airplane on a northeasterly course at about 600 ft above ground level, wings level and descending slightly, with a fire near the rear. It descended behind trees, and then the "sky lit up."
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a four-place, single-engine Federsen Lancair IVP, serial number 207, powered by a 350-horsepower Continental TSIO-550-E2B reciprocating engine with a Hartzell PHC-H3YF propeller. It received an experimental/amateur-built special airworthiness certificate on January 24, 2006. The pilot purchased the airplane from the builder on February 27, 2008, and it subsequently underwent a complete restoration.
Maintenance records showed condition inspections on January 2, 2008 (Hobbs 243.0, tach 122.0), May 4, 2011 (Hobbs 296.0, tach 134.0), May 14, 2012 (Hobbs 430.2), and May 20, 2013 (Hobbs 533.0). A May 14, 2014 entry noted left wing removal for fuel bay repair, reinstallation, and fuel calibration. The most recent annual condition inspection was completed on June 3, 2014, with airframe and engine total times of 615.0 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 0053, weather at Findlay Airport (FDY), about 6 miles southwest of the accident site, was: wind 270° at 10 knots; 5 miles visibility in mist; broken clouds at 1,300 ft agl; overcast at 2,000 ft agl; temperature 24°C; dew point 22°C; altimeter 29.83 inHg. At 0131, conditions were: wind 290° at 7 knots; 5 miles visibility in mist; scattered clouds at 1,500 ft agl; temperature 24°C; dew point 22°C; altimeter 29.82 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane impacted a residential yard about 35 ft southeast of County Road 18, between County Roads 215 and 216. The airplane was fragmented, and a postimpact fire ensued. The main debris field extended about 84 ft south of the main impact, including the fuselage, engine, and propeller assembly. An area of burned vegetation about 110 ft by 220 ft was located about 150 ft southeast of the main impact crater. The elevation was about 797 ft.
The main impact crater was about 4 ft wide by 3 ft deep. A linear ground impression consistent with a wing emanated north-northwest from the crater. The crater and impression contained fuselage and wing fragments. The entire fuselage was fragmented. A concentration of debris including the engine, forward fuselage/cockpit, and nose landing gear was about 22 ft south of the crater. Additional debris extending to about 38 ft south included the right main landing gear. The propeller assembly had separated from the engine and was about 38 ft south. The left main landing gear and aft pressure bulkhead were about 50 ft and 53 ft south, respectively. Sections of left and right inboard wing spars were about 84 ft south.
Flight control surface fragments were observed; examination was hindered by fragmentation, but damage was consistent with impact forces. The recording hour meter indicated 661.5 hours. Other flight instruments were damaged beyond examination.
The engine crankcase and cylinders sustained impact damage. The no. 6 cylinder, piston, and connecting rod had separated but were found with the engine. The forward crankshaft was separated and remained attached to the no. 6 connecting rod. Remaining cylinders exhibited impact damage. Borescope examination showed normal operating signatures. The oil pump housing was separated with intact impellers and scoring. The throttle body and fuel metering unit had separated.
Both magnetos were separated and fragmented. Spark plugs and ignition harness showed impact damage; the no. 6 top spark plug center electrode was missing; others showed normal signatures. The fuel manifold valve was separated; the housing was intact but fuel lines deformed; cavity contained dirt; diaphragm intact; screen clean. The fuel pump was separated with heat discoloration; disassembly showed intact cavity, sleeve, rotor, vanes, and pressure relief valve.
The propeller assembly had separated; the hub was fractured. The dome had separated. All three blades remained attached. One blade had S-bending and chordwise scratching. The second was bent aft about 90° with chordwise scratching, leading and trailing edge gouges, and a missing tip portion. The third was bent aft about 45° at the root with chordwise scratching and leading edge gouges. A rudder counterweight was imbedded in the trailing edge of the third blade.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot was performed on July 29, 2014, and attributed death to blunt force trauma. Toxicology testing detected Tamoxifen in muscle and liver samples, and 34 mg/dL ethanol in muscle tissue. No ethanol was detected in liver tissue; a blood sample was unavailable. Toxicology testing of a cavity blood sample from the passenger was negative for carbon monoxide.