History of Flight
On October 2, 2015, at about 1112 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Coot A airplane, registration N69BD, was destroyed when it impacted terrain approximately 1 mile north of Deer Park Airport (DEW), Deer Park, Washington. The private pilot was fatally injured. The amphibious airplane was operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from DEW about 1110.
Before the accident, another pilot reported speaking with the accident pilot, who mentioned having fuel system problems and an airworthiness directive (AD) for the carburetor. The pilot had installed a fuel pump from a Bell 47 helicopter and an electric boost pump to prime the carburetor, hoping the engine-driven pump would maintain operation. He noted that with the electric pump on, the engine ran too rich and rough, so he planned to turn it off to test it.
A witness, a rated pilot near the accident site, reported hearing the engine sputtering as the airplane departed runway 16. The airplane turned left into the traffic pattern. Another witness observed the airplane enter a spin on base leg near final. No distress calls were heard.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 79, held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land rating and a third-class medical certificate issued May 7, 2015, with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses. His personal logbook showed 71 total flight hours between 1977 and July 2015, with 5.3 hours in the 90 days before the accident. His most recent flight review was completed on June 22, 2015.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, midwing, retractable gear, amphibious experimental airplane, serial number KK-6, was completed in 2000. It was powered by a 200-horsepower Franklin 6A-350-C2 engine and equipped with a Hartzell adjustable-pitch propeller. The owner purchased the airplane on April 10, 2011. The most recent conditional inspection was completed on July 1, 2015, at a Hobbs time of 48.9 hours. The logbook noted compliance with AD 2003-05-01 for the fuel pump. However, the Hobbs time at the accident site was also 48.9 hours, indicating minimal operation since the inspection.
Meteorological Information
At 1053, an automated weather station about 1 mile south reported wind variable at 3 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 17°C, dew point 4°C, and altimeter 30.01 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane struck a wooded area and came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of about 225°, near numerous 20-ft-tall trees. All major components were present. Trees northeast of the wreckage were topped. The fuselage exhibited buckling and crushing forward of the engine pylon. The tailboom remained intact. The right wing was twisted and attached; the left wing was separated from the inboard carry-through spar. Control continuity was established from cockpit to all primary flight controls, though control cables at the engine pylon were separated by impact.
The single fuel tank was breached with no fuel observed. The fuel pickup tube was intact and screen clear. Fuel lines were continuous with no blockages. The electric boost pump was separated and damaged; the fuel shutoff valve was in the "on" position. The engine remained partially attached; the carburetor, vacuum pump, and alternator were separated. Thumb compression was obtained on five cylinders. Magnetos produced spark. The propeller exhibited chordwise scratches. The engine-driven and electrical fuel pumps were removed for testing.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy determined the cause of death as blunt injuries. Toxicology tests were negative for carbon monoxide and volatiles but positive for salicylate in urine.
Tests and Research
Both the engine-driven fuel pump and the electrical boost pump were tested. The engine-driven pump, when rotated by an electric drill with its inlet submerged in fuel, produced fuel flow from the outlet. The electric boost pump similarly expelled fuel when powered. No anomalies were observed with either pump.