Accident Summary
On September 5, 2015, about 1538 eastern daylight time, a special-light-sport, weight-shift-control Evolution Aircraft Revo, N2264X, was substantially damaged when it impacted the backyard of a residence in Laconia, New Hampshire. The accident followed a loss of control while the aircraft was circling a nearby beach at low altitude. The sport pilot was fatally injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by a private individual as a personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed Laconia Municipal Airport (LCI) about 1530.
Witness Observations
Several witnesses reported that the aircraft circled very low over the beach and appeared to be preparing to land. It then banked sharply left and descended nose-down near a residence. Two witnesses reported a sputtering or loss of engine noise, while five witnesses reported continuous or increasing engine noise.
Wreckage and Engine Examination
The wreckage came to rest inverted. Examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot's four-point restraint system remained intact. Fuel remained in the two carburetor fuel bowls and the single fuel tank. The inspector rotated the propeller by hand, confirmed valve train continuity, and attained thumb compression on all cylinders. A mechanic subsequently recovered the aircraft and verified control continuity. After replacing a water pump that sustained impact damage, he successfully test-ran the engine on the airframe.
Pilot Experience
Review of the sport pilot's logbook indicated that he had accumulated about 102 hours of flight experience, with 91 hours in the same make and model. About 7 hours were flown during the 30 days preceding the accident. The pilot had recently ferried the accident aircraft from Florida to New Hampshire but had not recorded that trip in his logbook. The NTSB database showed that the pilot was involved in a landing accident in the same make and model aircraft on April 20, 2014; the probable cause of that accident was his failure to maintain control during a go-around.
Flight Path Data
The aircraft was equipped with an electronic flight information system (EFIS). Data were downloaded and plotted. No engine data were recovered, but a GPS plot showed that the aircraft departed LCI at 1530, climbed to about 1,300 feet above ground level (agl), flew west for about 1 minute, then turned north and paralleled the shore of Lake Winnipesaukee, descending to about 300 feet agl. The aircraft completed one left circuit near a beach uneventfully. During a second, wider left circuit, it descended to about 100 feet agl or less over the lake, where it remained until impacting the backyard approximately 2 minutes later.
Toxicology and Weather
The pilot succumbed to his injuries on September 6, 2015; an autopsy was not performed, but the medical examiner's report listed the cause of death as "Complications of Blunt Head Trauma." Toxicological testing detected etomidate in blood, consistent with emergency treatment, and metoprolol, a non-impairing antihypertensive. The recorded weather at LCI at 1535 included wind from 190 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 9 miles, and clear sky.