History of Flight
On December 23, 2017, about 1420 central standard time, a light sport X-Air LLC XA85 airplane, registration N20XA, collided with power lines while maneuvering at low altitude near Oskaloosa, Iowa. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was registered to the pilot and operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed Oskaloosa Municipal Airport (OOA) about 1345, with the intended destination of Marshalltown Municipal Airport (MIW), Marshalltown, Iowa.
The pilot's partner reported that they had driven to OOA to retrieve the airplane after the left main tire was replaced due to a deflation during a landing on December 16. The plan was for the pilot to fly the airplane back to MIW alone. After arriving, the airplane was pulled from the hangar for a preflight inspection. The partner noted extreme cold and that the pilot taxied for 5 to 10 minutes to warm the engine while she configured the onboard GPS to navigate to Grinnell Regional Airport, an intermediate airport. After engine warm-up, the pilot taxied back to the fixed base operator, stopped the engine, and the partner exited. The partner and the airport manager watched the pilot start, taxi, and take off about 1345. The partner noted the pilot had flown this route numerous times and typically cruised at 3,500 ft msl.
A review of FAA ATC radar data revealed no transponder or primary track data correlated to the accident flight. The lower limit of radar coverage near the accident site was about 2,000 ft agl. Several witnesses reported seeing an airplane flying at low altitude in the area. One witness, driving south on Highway 63 about 1/2 mile east of the site, saw an airplane flying west at low altitude near 210th Street. No eyewitnesses observed the final portion of the flight; however, an individual heard the engine from inside his residence near the site and later saw the airplane in a field and flames from power lines.
Personnel Information
The 70-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument ratings. His most recent aviation medical examination was on July 6, 2012, when he was issued a third-class medical certificate with the limitation that he must wear corrective lenses. On that application, he reported 1,610 total flight hours, with 26 hours in the previous 6 months. The medical certificate expired on July 31, 2014; however, federal regulations only required a valid driver's license to operate the light sport airplane. The pilot held a valid Iowa driver's license. No previous accidents, incidents, or enforcement proceedings were found in FAA records.
The pilot's logbook was not located. On June 6, 2016, he reported 1,806 total hours on an insurance application. An airplane use log found in the wreckage showed he had flown 16.9, 11.7, 2.9, and 2.2 hours during the 1 year, 6 months, 90 days, and 30 days before the accident, respectively. The accident flight was about 35 minutes and was the only flight within 24 hours.
Aircraft Information
The two-seat, light sport airplane, serial number XA850006, was manufactured in 2009. It was a high-wing monoplane with aluminum tube and fabric construction. It was powered by an 85-horsepower, 4-cylinder Jabiru 2200J engine (serial number 22J795) driving a ground-adjustable, two-blade DUC Hélices Swirl propeller (serial number 5339). The airplane had fixed tricycle landing gear and wing flaps, with a maximum gross weight of 1,234 pounds. The FAA issued a special airworthiness certificate on March 18, 2009. The hour meter indicated 308.5 hours at the accident site. The most recent condition inspection was completed on June 27, 2017, at 288.6 total airframe hours. The pilot operating handbook listed a cruise speed of about 90 mph at 2,900 rpm.
Meteorological Information
A postaccident review of available meteorological data established that day visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. The nearest aviation weather reporting station at OOA, about 12 miles southeast, reported at 1415: wind from 350° at 9 knots, 10 miles surface visibility, clear sky, temperature -6°C, dew point -11°C, and altimeter setting 30.24 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was in an open agricultural field about 12 miles north-northwest of OOA. The initial point of impact was a power line about 35 ft above ground. The airplane impacted the ground in a nose-down attitude on a southerly heading and came to rest inverted about 230 ft from the power line. An 80-ft section of steel-braided power line was wrapped around the main landing gear. The nose gear had separated. All major structural components and flight controls were identified, and flight control continuity was confirmed. Wing flaps were fully retracted. First responders reported turning the master switch from ON to OFF. The electric fuel pump, ignition switches, and fuel selector were ON; the starting fuel control OFF; carburetor heat OFF; cabin heat ON. The altimeter Kollsman window was set to 30.24 inHg. The communication radio was on, tuned to the common traffic advisory frequency for the departure airport. Fuel was leaking from the estimated half-full fuselage tank. The engine remained attached; external examination revealed no damage. The propeller was fragmented. The engine started and ran at various speeds without anomalies. No evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure was found.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Iowa Office of State Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was attributed to multiple blunt force injuries. The medical examiner also identified atherosclerotic and thrombotic cardiovascular disease and probable component of positional asphyxia. Toxicological tests identified warfarin and diphenhydramine (0.062 ug/ml) in femoral blood. Additional tests identified atorvastatin, diphenhydramine (0.072 µg/ml), gabapentin (12.79 µg/ml), loratadine, losartan, metoprolol, sotalol, and warfarin in femoral blood. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine with warnings about impairing mental/physical abilities. Gabapentin is an antiseizure medication that may cause CNS depression. Metoprolol and sotalol are beta-blockers; sotalol is associated with risk of life-threatening arrhythmias. Warfarin is a blood thinner. Loratadine, losartan, atorvastatin are not generally considered impairing.
The autopsy revealed significant natural disease: the pilot had a left pneumonectomy, an enlarged heart (560 grams), severe coronary artery disease with stenosis and intraluminal thrombus, and previous small strokes. Personal medical records from 2015 to 2017 showed conditions including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atrial fibrillation, squamous cell lung cancer treated with surgery and chemotherapy, and peripheral neuropathy. At the last outpatient visit on December 18, 2017, his medications included warfarin, losartan, metoprolol, gabapentin, atorvastatin, diphenhydramine, sotalol, and others. The pilot's partner noted his health had been "a little off" from pneumonia in the previous two months and that he sometimes held onto her arm for support. The airport manager at MIW reported seeing the pilot walking with difficulty and seeming out of breath.
Tests and Research
The airplane was equipped with a Dynon EMS-D10 electronic engine monitor. Data showed consistent readings throughout the flight with no anomalies. At 35 minutes 40 seconds into the flight, engine speed abruptly decreased from about 2,850 rpm to 0 rpm, and oil pressure dropped from 67 psi to 0 psi, consistent with impact. The Garmin GPSmap 396 was recovered outside the airplane; its data showed the last recorded flight on December 16, 2017, from MIW to OOA. No track data was recorded on the accident day. The device was not powered on during the accident flight. The fuse for the external power supply had blown, but the battery remained installed.