History of Flight
On October 20, 2014, at 1737 central daylight time, a CGS Aviation Hawk Arrow II airplane, registration N916H, impacted trees during the approach for landing at Country Air Estates Airport (1AR9) in Lonoke, Arkansas. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight departed without a flight plan.
The front seat passenger reported that after a local 45-minute flight, the pilot, flying from the rear seat, entered a left base to Runway 18. During the left turn toward final, the passenger observed the airplane fly past the extended runway centerline, bank steeply to the left, and then nose over. The airplane impacted trees near the approach end of Runway 18 and came to rest about 25 feet above ground level in a tree. The passenger disconnected from the seat restraints and climbed down. The pilot also disconnected but fell to the ground while attempting to climb. After transport to a local hospital, the pilot succumbed to injuries.
Pilot Information
The pilot, aged 75, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land, rotorcraft helicopter, gyroplane, and sport ratings, along with flight and ground instructor certificates. During a medical examination on December 19, 2013, he reported 4,300 total flight hours and zero hours in the preceding six months. The aviation medical examiner did not issue a medical certificate, deferring to the FAA, whose Medical Appeals Branch was reviewing the case at the time of the accident.
The pilot's medical history included alcohol dependence (in recovery since 2004), cirrhosis, anxiety/depression, splenomegaly with chronic anemia and thrombocytopenia, chronic kidney disease, hypertension, arrhythmia, glaucoma, coronary artery disease treated with coronary artery bypass grafting in 2009, and aortic valve replacement in 2009 following endocarditis. The FAA had denied medical certification in 2010 and 2012 due to a history of coronary artery bypass grafting, neurocognitive deficits, unreported anxiety/medication use, and falsification of medical applications. Neuropsychological evaluations placed the pilot's cognitive skills in the 30th–50th percentile compared to men of similar age and education, and at or below the 10th percentile compared to the pilot community.
On October 14, 2014, the pilot completed a flight review in the accident airplane, consisting of 1.4 flight hours and six landings at 1AR9. This was the only flight recorded in his logbook since 2010. The flight instructor who administered the review characterized the airplane as having a high drag profile in the pattern, stating it was "easy to get slow." The instructor noted the pilot was sometimes slow to recognize decaying airspeed, especially during base turns when the pilot preferred to glide with idle power. The instructor recommended a mid-power setting, but the pilot frequently reverted to idle power during base turns.
Aircraft Information
The CGS Aviation Hawk Arrow II is a light sport airplane. It received its airworthiness certificate on May 6, 2013, and was equipped with an HKS 700E twin-cylinder, 60-horsepower engine. The last annual inspection was performed on January 1, 2014, at a total time of 97.8 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 1753, the weather observation station at Adams Field Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas, about 13 miles southwest of the accident site, reported wind from 230 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 miles, few clouds at 15,000 feet above ground level, scattered clouds at 25,000 feet, temperature 21°C, dew point -12°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.02 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck trees about 25 yards from large open fields. After recovery to a hangar at 1AR9, examination revealed flight control continuity with no anomalies. The engine was test-run using fuel from the accident flight; it started and ran normally for approximately 20 minutes, cycling between idle and full power without interruptions or hesitations. No evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation was found.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy performed on October 21, 2014, by the State Crime Laboratory in Little Rock, Arkansas, listed the cause of death as multiple traumatic injuries. Toxicology testing by the FAA's Bioaeronautical Research Laboratory identified citalopram, its metabolite N-desmethylcitalopram, and metoprolol in blood and urine. At his last medical examination, the pilot reported treatment with prescription medications including citalopram (for depression), lisinopril and metoprolol (for blood pressure), spironolactone (for hypertension), aspirin (to prevent heart attacks), furosemide (diuretic for leg swelling), latanoprost eye drops (for glaucoma), and niacin (for cholesterol).