History of Flight
On September 10, 2014, at 1326 central daylight time, a Smith 601P, registration N711YM, impacted terrain half a mile north of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), Austin, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. The flight, operated under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight, originated from Dallas Executive Airport (RBD) at 1226 and was en route to AUS. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
At 1314, while east of Georgetown Airport (GTU), the pilot requested VFR flight following from AUS approach control. Radar contact was established, and the pilot received weather information and vectors toward runway 17L. Mode C transponder returns indicated an altitude of 6,500 feet. At 1326:29, the pilot was instructed to contact the tower; radar showed the airplane just short of runway 17 at a ground speed of 88 knots. The pilot never contacted the tower. At 1341, the tower controller reported seeing smoke north of the airport. The Austin Fire Department, responding to an earlier report of a ground cover fire, discovered the wreckage.
Six witnesses interviewed by the Austin Police Department reported seeing a slow-flying airplane at low altitude heading toward the airport. The left engine was at low rpm and sputtering, knocking, or making banging sounds while trailing black smoke. One witness observed the tail kick horizontally to the right and the airplane bank slightly left. Radio communications revealed the pilot never reported an inoperative engine or declared an emergency.
Pilot Information
The 55-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine land ratings but was not instrument rated. His third-class medical certificate, issued March 11, 2014, required corrective lenses. He estimated 525 total flight hours at that time and had accrued 36.8 hours in N711YM. His logbook was never located.
Aircraft Information
N711YM (serial number 61P-0215-023), a model 601P, was manufactured by Ted Smith Aircraft Company in 1975. In 1990, it was modified as a Machen Superstar I (700 Aerostar) with two Lycoming IO-540-S1A5MM intercooled engines rated at 350 horsepower each, driving Hartzell three-blade constant-speed propellers.
The airplane had been dormant for over two years at Patterson, Louisiana, before being sold to the pilot in December 2013. A pre-purchase inspection in June 2013 revealed rusty cowling fasteners, broken fasteners, and rusty water from lower spark plugs, leading the inspecting mechanic to deem the airplane unairworthy due to corrosion. The pilot purchased the airplane for salvage value and flew it from Louisiana to Texas without a recorded ferry permit. Witnesses observed the engines backfiring on departure.
Maintenance records showed an annual inspection on June 10, 2014, at a total airframe time of 3,438.2 hours. At the time of the accident, the Hobbs meter read 1,410.2 hours. The left engine had accumulated 1,048.4 hours since its last major overhaul in 1992; the right engine had 178.6 hours since its 2008 overhaul. Both propellers received 100-hour inspections in June 2010.
Meteorological Information
Weather at AUS at 1403: wind 210 degrees at 9 knots gusting to 17 knots; visibility 10 miles; scattered clouds at 5,000 feet; temperature 36°C; dew point 21°C; altimeter 29.83 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact
The accident site was at 2400 Cardinal Loop, Travis County. The airplane initially struck a large tree, with wreckage scattered over 1,300 feet on a 170-degree magnetic heading. A second tree was struck, and both wings were sheared off. The inverted cabin and cockpit were suspended in trees. The left engine and propeller remained attached; the right engine was separated. Cockpit instrument readings: altimeter set to 29.86 inHg; throttle, propeller, and mixture controls full forward; left tachometer 95 rpm; right tachometer 2,550 rpm; flap and landing gear controls up; Hobbs meter 1,410.2 hours.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsy determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries. The pilot had severe coronary artery atherosclerosis, an enlarged heart, and remote myocardial infarction, none of which were reported on FAA medical exams. Toxicology detected acetaminophen and dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant) in urine.
Tests and Research
Engine examination on November 13–14, 2014, revealed the right engine had no anomalies precluding power production; right propeller signatures were consistent with impact rotation. The left propeller was found in the feathered position. Left engine spark plugs were heavily carbonized and black, indicating a rich fuel-air mixture. The rubber boot connecting the intercooler to the fuel injector servo was dislodged and partially sucked in; the securing clamp was loose but intact. Exhaust tubing showed dark sooting.