History of Flight
On February 28, 2016, about 0859 central standard time, a Cirrus SR-20, N477TC, collided with terrain following a loss of control near the Navasota Municipal Airport (60R), Navasota, Texas. The flight instructor, the non-certificated pilot/owner who was receiving instruction, and the two passengers were fatally injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to Air Akhtar Heating & Air Conditioning LLC and was operated by the pilot/owner under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The instructional flight originated from David Wayne Hook Airport (DWH), Spring, Texas, at 0818.
Radar data indicated that after departing DWH, the airplane turned northwest toward 60R. The last DWH air traffic control communication was at 0821. The airplane entered a left downwind to runway 17 at 60R about 0836, turned onto base leg, final approach, and descended below radar coverage. At 0837:51, it was on final approach to runway 17. At 0839:37, radar indicated a target about 0.75 nm south of runway 17 at 800 ft msl, consistent with a touch-and-go landing. The airplane conducted a second touch-and-go before a full stop landing about 0844:46. A security camera showed the airplane taxiing north on the taxiway at 0847:26. At 0850:58, the airplane departed 60R, entered a left downwind for runway 17, executed a second full stop landing, and by 0858:51 had departed runway 17 climbing on a south heading.
Data from the primary flight display (PFD) showed the same flight path. Additional parameters indicated that at 0859:02, while climbing through 550 ft msl at about 92 knots, the airplane began to roll left and decelerate. Starting at 0859:06, it pitched down and descended. At 0859:10, airspeed decreased below 75 knots. At 0859:13, airspeed increased to about 79 knots, and the airplane reached 61° left-wing-down before rapid rolling to the right through inverted, then rapid pitch down to 69° nose-down. Radar contact was lost at 0859:15 when the airplane was about .43 nm southeast of the departure end of runway 17 and about 0.16 nm from the accident site. The PFD data showed a brief recovery to nearly wings level at 0859:18, then pitching down again. The final data point at 0859:19 showed 65° nose-down and 45° right-wing-down at 268 ft msl and 89 knots. No witnesses were known.
At 0904:14, radar data indicated another airplane departed runway 17, circled the accident location, and its pilot reported spotting the wreckage and notifying authorities. The pilot did not see or hear the accident airplane before seeing the wreckage.
Personnel Information
The flight instructor's logbooks were not located. On his last FAA medical application dated January 15, 2016, he reported 6,550 total flight hours, with 120 hours in the previous 6 months. His experience in SR-20 airplanes before flying with the owner is unknown.
The airplane owner, receiving flight instruction, did not hold a student pilot or medical certificate. He had taken an FAA medical examination on October 20, 2015, but due to his arrest history, the aviation medical examiner deferred issuance. The FAA requested additional information, which the owner did not provide, and on January 20, 2016, the FAA informed him they could not determine his eligibility. According to his pilot logbook, he had 106 total flight hours, 57.1 in SR-20 airplanes, and had flown 11 dual instructional flights with the flight instructor totaling 25.7 hours.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, serial number 1378, was a four-place, low-wing, single-engine airplane with fixed landing gear, manufactured in 2003, equipped with a Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS). The owner purchased it on January 12, 2016. Maintenance records indicated the last annual inspection on the airframe was completed on January 12, 2016, at 431.5 hours total time (Hobbs). The Hobbs at accident was 487.2 hours. The engine was a 210-horsepower Continental Motors IO-360-ES6B, serial number 357628. The last annual inspection on the engine was also on January 12, 2016, and the last maintenance was an oil and filter change on February 26, 2016, at 481.6 hours. There were no logbook entries showing an overhaul or teardown; however, postaccident examination revealed the crankshaft and bearings were not original. The maintenance facility owner stated the engine was removed for teardown inspection for metal contamination in April 2015. Records indicated the teardown was completed on August 17, 2015, and the engine was disassembled due to a burned #6 piston, with a replacement crankshaft supplied by the customer.
The airplane was fueled twice the day before the accident, with the last fueling at 1655 adding 22.6 gallons of 100LL, topping off the tanks. It is unknown if the airplane was flown between fueling and the accident flight.
Cirrus Aircraft stall speed calculations indicated that at gross weights of 2,904 pounds (full fuel) and 2,688 pounds (20 gallons), flaps up stall speeds at 1g would be 78 KCAS and 75 KCAS, respectively.
Airport Information
Navasota Municipal Airport (60R) is an uncontrolled airport.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was located about 0.43 mile southeast of the departure end of runway 17 in a lightly wooded area surrounded by open pasture. The airplane came to rest upright on a magnetic heading of 60° in the middle of a field bordered by three large trees. The terrain was wet and muddy. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airplane with minor debris scattered. The empennage was relatively intact with control continuity verified. The elevator trim motor was positioned to slightly nose-down trim. Both wings exhibited impact damage; left wing leading edge crushed rearward, right wing leading edge crushed aft with spar damage. Both flaps were fully retracted. The right aileron cable was separated due to overload. The flap actuator correlated to fully retracted. Wing fuel tanks were compromised with no fuel present, but a strong fuel odor was reported. All four seats remained attached; left front seatbelt did not retract due to damage. The CAPS activation handle was in its holder, but the mounting bracket was bent. The rocket motor was expended on the ground, parachute bag partially packed, and harnesses deployed. The break-away cover was near the rudder, indicating deployment during impact. The engine remained attached, partially buried at a 25° angle. All cylinders had impact damage. Oil filter and adapter separated. Fuel pump had a significant leak at the relief valve diaphragm. Throttle position was at idle. No anomalies were identified that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsy examinations for both the flight instructor and airplane owner listed cause of death as multiple blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing for the instructor was negative for alcohol and tested drugs. For the airplane owner, diphenhydramine was detected in cavity blood at 69 ng/ml and in urine; naproxen was detected only in urine. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine with an FDA warning about impairing ability for hazardous tasks. Naproxen is an anti-inflammatory analgesic.
Tests and Research
The PFD was recovered and data extracted despite impact damage. The multifunction display compact flash card had no recorded data. The engine underwent a teardown examination at Continental Motors; internal components appeared capable of normal operation, with no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation or production of rated horsepower. Both magnetos produced spark. Fuel system components tested within specifications except for the fuel pump leak due to impact.