History of Flight
On November 25, 2016, at about 1145 Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 7GCAA airplane, N88373, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while on approach to landing at a private airstrip near Glamis, California. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from an open desert area near the airstrip about 5 minutes before the accident.
A friend of the pilot reported that the pilot had been providing 10- to 15-minute rides to people camping with him, taking off and landing from a long area of packed sand near their campsite. The accident occurred during the pilot's sixth ride flight of the day, with the intention of landing at the private airstrip to park the airplane overnight. During previous flights, the pilot had flown over his intended landing area about 50 ft above ground level (agl) and then continued in a traffic pattern about 50 ft agl. He also flew low in sand dune bowls.
Two witnesses near the dirt airstrip reported observing the airplane touch down about halfway down the runway on a westerly heading at high speed. The engine powered up, and the airplane pitched upward about 30° before banking steeply right as the pilot executed a 180° turn to parallel the runway. The airplane leveled off at about 100 to 150 ft agl. Shortly after, the airplane made a steep right turn toward the runway and descended out of sight. Witnesses reported wind from east-northeast at 15 to 20 mph at the time.
During a telephone interview, the passenger recalled that the pilot conducted a touch-and-go landing and stated he "didn't like the way that felt" before "pulling out and banking hard to the right." The last thing she remembered was the airplane "going straight down."
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 59, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating and a third-class medical certificate issued September 26, 2016, with the limitation "must wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision." On that application, he reported 430 total flight hours, 15 in the previous 6 months.
Review of the pilot's logbooks showed 442.2 hours total flight experience, with 205.5 hours in the accident make/model, including 8.1 hours in the 90 days and 2.7 hours in the 30 days before the accident.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, tailwheel-equipped airplane, serial number 304-74, was powered by a 150-horsepower Lycoming O-320-A2D engine, serial number L-39348-27A, driving a Sensenich fixed-pitch propeller. The front and rear seats were equipped with shoulder restraints.
The most recent annual inspection was completed on May 9, 2016, at an airframe total time of 4,380 hours. The engine was last overhauled on June 21, 1996, at 1,650.49 hours. At the accident, the airframe had 17.2 hours since the annual inspection; the engine had 2,746.71 hours since major overhaul.
Meteorological Information
At 1153, the automated weather observation station at Imperial Airport (IPL), about 30 miles west, reported wind from 350° at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear sky, temperature 23°C, dew point -5°C, and altimeter 30.10 inches of mercury.
Airport Information
The accident occurred at a private airstrip near Glamis, California. The runway orientation was 230° (southwest).
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted open desert terrain about 565 ft short (northeast) of the approach end of the runway. The debris path was about 34 ft long on a magnetic heading of about 206°. The first identified point of impact (FIPC) was a 1-ft by 2-ft area of disturbed dirt. The propeller, starter ring gear, plexiglass, and engine cowling portion were within a 5-ft by 4-ft area about 24 ft from the FIPC. The main wreckage (fuselage and both wings) was about 34 ft from the FIPC, upright on a heading of about 009°.
The left wing separated and was displaced forward, with leading edge compression from mid-span outboard. Lift struts remained attached; the aft strut was bent. Aileron control cables exhibited tension overload separation.
The right wing separated from the fuselage, buckled throughout, with both spars fractured. Lift struts remained attached; the forward strut was bent with leading edge scratches; the aft strut was bowed. A 7-inch circular impression on the wingtip was consistent with impact with the right main landing gear tire. Aileron control cables showed overload separation.
The fuselage was intact from the rear door post aft; forward structure was bent and compressed upward with aft compression. The right main landing gear separated; the left remained attached and bent upward. The fuel strainer screen was debris-free. Front and rear lap belts were unbuckled; the forward shoulder restraint was cut; the rear shoulder restraint remained attached to the lap belt buckle. The empennage was intact and undamaged. Flight control continuity was established for ailerons, rudder, and elevator.
The engine remained attached to the fuselage. The vacuum pump, alternator, and carburetor were displaced. Crankshaft rotation produced thumb compression and suction on all cylinders; continuity was established throughout the engine and valve train. Both magnetos produced spark. Spark plugs exhibited normal operational signatures with light gray deposits.
The propeller separated from the crankshaft flange. The spinner was crushed aft. One blade had leading edge gouges and was bent and twisted opposite rotation direction, with chordwise striations. The other blade was relatively straight with chordwise striations and leading edge gouges.
Additional Information
A handheld GPS found in the wreckage was examined by the NTSB Vehicle Recorder Laboratory; the data did not contain information about the accident flight.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot conducted by the Imperial County California Coroner determined the cause of death as multiple traumatic injuries. The heart was enlarged with left ventricular hypertrophy and coronary artery disease: 75% narrowing of the right coronary artery, 90% narrowing of the left anterior descending, and 25% narrowing of the left circumflex. No evidence of ischemic heart muscle damage was found.
Toxicological testing by the FAA identified acetaminophen (28.86 µg/ml in urine), sertraline (in urine and 0.063 µg/ml in cavity blood), desmethylsertraline (in urine and blood), and trazodone (in urine and 0.101 µg/ml in cavity blood).
Acetaminophen is a non-sedating pain and fever reducer. Sertraline is a prescription antidepressant with an accepted therapeutic range of 0.010 to 0.200 µg/ml. Trazodone is a prescription antidepressant with sedating properties, accepted therapeutic range 0.5 to 3.0 µg/ml.
The pilot's personal medical records included colon cancer treated with surgery and radiation in 2008, chronic pain treated with oxycodone until June 2016, and depression and anxiety treated with psychotropic medications. A psychiatrist's note dated November 2, 2016, stated the pilot had a 5-year history of anxiety and depression, treated with sertraline for 2 years. The note described recent dose changes and residual symptoms including frustration and feeling rushed. The psychiatrist's diagnostic impression was major depressive disorder (moderate severity). Prescriptions included sertraline 75 mg daily, hydroxyzine 50 mg as needed for anxiety, and trazodone 100 to 200 mg at bedtime.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was stated in the source.