History of Flight
On August 7, 2015, about 1855 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Kitfox Model 1, registration N428YT, was substantially damaged when it impacted an embankment while practicing landing approaches to a private airstrip in Montrose, Pennsylvania. The airplane was privately owned and operated. The private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight, which was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated around 1830 from Tri Cities Airport (CZG) in Endicott, New York.
According to a witness, the accident flight was the first time the pilot had performed practice landing approaches to his private airstrip. Immediately prior to the accident, the pilot performed about three practice approaches but did not land. Another witness reported that during the final approach, the airplane entered a "steep angle turn" and then "went straight down." It impacted the ground and came to rest on an embankment about 15 feet short of the runway approach end.
Personnel Information
According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single engine land. The pilot's logbook indicated 300 hours of total flight time, with 90.25 hours in the accident airplane make and model, of which 20 hours were flown in the previous 12 months. The pilot was issued a third-class medical certificate on December 2, 2013, with a limitation requiring corrective lenses for near and distant vision.
Aircraft Information
The experimental amateur-built airplane was issued a special airworthiness certificate on August 14, 2012, and was registered to the pilot/owner. It was a two-seat, high-wing, fabric-covered monoplane equipped with fixed conventional landing gear and a Rotax 532 two-stroke engine. No airplane maintenance records were located at the time of the investigation.
Meteorological Information
The 1853 recorded weather observation at Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM), Binghamton, New York, located approximately 23 nautical miles north of the accident site, included wind from 030 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 miles, clear skies, temperature 23°C, dew point 12°C, and barometric altimeter 29.97 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted an embankment approximately 15 feet from the approach end of runway 30, oriented on a 025-degree heading. It came to rest in a near nose-down, vertical attitude. A post-impact fire ensued, consuming the fabric covering the fuselage, inboard section of both wings, and the empennage. All components were located in the vicinity of the wreckage. A smell similar to 100LL fuel was noted on scene.
The right wing remained attached to the fuselage and was bent forward; its outboard section was impact-separated. The left wing remained intact and attached at the forward attach point, with the wing strut bent aft and the aft attach point thermally damaged; the wing tip exhibited crush damage aft. The empennage remained attached and was bent left about one foot forward of the elevator. The rudder and elevator skin was consumed by post-impact fire, but control surfaces remained attached at all points. The cockpit and seats were consumed by fire. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the control surfaces to the cockpit controls.
The engine remained attached through four mounts and control cables; it was removed for examination. Spark plugs were finger tight and showed normal wear. The propeller reduction gear box contained oil; two teeth on the propeller drive gear and three teeth on the crankshaft gear were damaged. The exhaust "y" pipe was removed; pistons showed no vertical scoring. Crankshaft and valvetrain continuity was confirmed by manual rotation. Both carburetors were impact-separated and consumed by fire. The starter was partially melted; its drive gear teeth showed no anomalies. Fuel lines and ignition wiring were consumed. The gascolator bowl was impact-separated and consumed. The radiator was impact-separated and partially consumed by fire.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Susquehanna County Coroner in Dunmore, Pennsylvania, performed an autopsy on the pilot. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot died as a result of "multiple traumatic injuries." The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological testing. Fluid specimens tested negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and other drugs.