History of Flight
On August 24, 2014, about 1130 eastern daylight time, an unregistered Rans S17 airplane impacted trees and terrain during a takeoff at the Lowell City Airport (24C), near Lowell, Michigan. The private pilot, the sole occupant on board, was fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The unregistered airplane was operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight was originating from 24C at the time of the accident.
A witness who lived adjacent to 24C saw a small tailwheel airplane taxiing somewhat "erratically" up and down runway 6. The witness also saw a local pilot at 24C. That local pilot told the witness that the airplane had been his and that the pilot in the airplane had just purchased it. The local pilot expressed concern to the witness about the pilot's handling of the airplane and offered to reverse the sale. The new owner replied that he felt confident based on "hundreds of hours" in a weight-shift trike and limited experience in a registered tailwheel airplane.
The witness observed the new owner apply full power and take off. The conditions were not ideal for a test flight; winds were relatively light but varying in speed and direction. The new owner flew for about five minutes around the airfield about 500 feet above ground level (AGL). The witness reported that the pilot's control seemed acceptable; turns were smooth and coordination appeared maintained. As the airplane lined up to land, the witness observed that approach speed seemed high and descent rate was "rather steep." The airplane reached an appropriate airspeed about 10 feet AGL and about 1,000 feet down the runway. It leveled off and nearly stalled before descending at a very high angle of attack. The airplane appeared to stall about three feet AGL, bounce, ground loop, exit the runway, and came to rest contacting "shrubbery."
The witness and local pilot inspected the airplane and talked to the new owner. The new owner expressed intention to resume practice. He started the engine and taxied, at one point leaving the runway in an apparent attempt to position for a 180-degree turn-around within boundaries. He turned around, returned to the runway, and aligned approximately with runway heading. He applied what sounded like full power, and the airplane turned abruptly to the right at about 45 degrees to runway heading. The airplane broke ground at the runway edge and continued turning to a heading almost perpendicular to the runway. As it climbed, it rolled to the right with nose-high pitch and appeared to have a "critically high angle of attack." The airplane passed behind trees where the witness lost sight. About four seconds later, he heard a loud crash. He ran and saw the airplane about 100 yards south of the departure runway.
Another witness, the local pilot, indicated that the engine could be heard under full power until impact. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector viewed a cell phone video of the accident flight; the inspector's report stated the video was consistent with the witnesses' statements.
Personnel Information
The 67-year-old pilot held an FAA private pilot certificate with single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He also held a sport pilot endorsement for weight-shift-control land airplane. He held an FAA third class medical certificate dated June 24, 1996, with no limitations. On that application, he reported 600 hours total flight time and 15 hours in the previous six months, with no medical conditions or medications.
Aircraft Information
The accident airplane was a single-seat, high-wing, fabric-covered, aluminum tube design Rans S17. A two-cylinder engine drove a three-blade pusher propeller. According to build paperwork, the fuel tank was nine gallons.
Meteorological Information
At 1053, the recorded weather at Gerald R. Ford International Airport, near Grand Rapids, Michigan, was: wind 080 degrees at 10 knots, visibility 5 statute miles, mist, overcast clouds at 1,100 feet, temperature 22°C, dew point 20°C, altimeter 30.10 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage on-scene. The airplane came to rest approximately 170 degrees from the takeoff runway heading. There were no ground witness marks consistent with wheel lockup during takeoff. No pre-impact anomalies in flight controls were detected. The landing gear wheels spun freely when rotated by hand, and the tailwheel moved left and right without binding.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed by the Kent County Medical Examiner's Office indicated multiple blunt force injuries as cause of death, manner accidental. The FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute prepared a Final Forensic Toxicology Accident Report. The report detected: 7-Amino-clonazepam in urine and blood; Citalopram in blood and urine; Flufenamic acid in blood; Guaifenesin in urine and blood; N-Desmethylcitalopram in urine and blood; Oxymetazoline in urine but not in blood; 0.016 µg/mL Zolpidem in blood and 0.008 in urine. The FAA WebDrugs described 7-Amino-clonazepam as the predominant metabolite of Klonopin, a sedating benzodiazepine used for anxiety; Citalopram as Celexa, an SSRI antidepressant converted to desmethylcitalopram; Flufenamic acid as an analgesic not sold for human use in the US; Guaifenesin as an expectorant; N-Desmethylcitalopram as a metabolite of citalopram; Oxymetazoline as Afrin, a decongestant; Zolpidem as Ambien for insomnia. Klonopin, Citalopram, and Zolpidem carry warnings about sedation or psychoactive effects that may affect ability to safely operate machinery or motor vehicles.