Accident Overview
On December 13, 2015, at 1724 eastern standard time, an experimental light sport Golden Circle Air T Bird II, registration N92744, was destroyed after it departed controlled flight and impacted trees and terrain following takeoff from Lower Creek Airport (NC27) in Lenoir, North Carolina. The private pilot, who was also the owner, sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Video Evidence
A wing-mounted video camera recovered by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector captured the accident flight. The camera was attached to the left wing, pointing spanwise, and provided a view of the cockpit. The pilot was observed with his left hand on the yoke, while his right hand, near the engine throttle, was obscured.
Flight Dynamics
The airplane took off and completed the upwind leg of the traffic pattern, then initiated a right turn toward the crosswind leg. Throughout takeoff and climb, the engine sounded smooth and continuous. During the turn, a reduction in power was heard, though the engine sound remained smooth. At the moment of power reduction and the initiation of the turn, the pilot simultaneously applied left aileron, right rudder, and back pressure on the yoke. As the airplane rolled right and entered a nose-down spin, the engine could be heard accelerating.
Ballistic Recovery System (BRS) Deployment
The "Remove Before Flight" flag on the locking pin for the BRS parachute deployment handle was visible in the camera's field of view. During the descent, the pilot struggled with one hand, then two hands, to remove the pin. He eventually freed the pin and actuated the deployment handle as the nose of the airplane entered the tops of the trees. The BRS parachute was found free from its canister but not fully deployed.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent second-class FAA medical certificate was issued on July 8, 2011, on which date he reported 40 total hours of flight experience. Excerpts from the pilot's logbook indicated he had logged 90.6 total hours, with 25 hours in the accident airplane make and model. In the 90 days before the accident, he logged 7 hours, and in the 30 days prior, 1.2 hours—all in the accident airplane.
Aircraft and Weather
The airplane was manufactured in 2001. Maintenance records were not recovered, so the maintenance and inspection history could not be determined. At 1735, weather recorded at Morgantown-Lenoir Airport (MRN), 10 miles southwest of the accident site, included winds from 140 degrees at 3 knots.
Wreckage Examination
Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies.