History of Flight
On January 23, 2018, at approximately 1530 central standard time, an experimental, amateur-built W-10 Tailwind airplane, registration N251WT, impacted terrain near Sauk Centre Municipal Airport (D39), Sauk Centre, Minnesota. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was privately owned and operated as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Cambridge Municipal Airport (CBG) around 1415.
According to witness statements, fuel records, and the pilot's cell phone records, the pilot fueled the airplane with about 7 gallons of fuel and departed D39 about 1200. He landed at Princeton Municipal Airport (PNM) about 1244, departed about 1324, landed at CBG about 1341, and departed about 1415. After landing at D39 about 1515, he brought the airplane to a full stop on runway 32, taxied back, and departed again.
The total flight time from the initial departure at 1200 to the accident was about 2 hours 16 minutes, covering about 155 miles. No radio communications or radar data were recorded. When the pilot did not return as expected, family contacted authorities, and an ALNOT was issued. The wreckage was located the next morning at about 0820, approximately 2.7 statute miles south of D39, with assistance from the Air Force Forensic Cellular Team.
Personnel Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate. According to logbook information, his total flight experience was about 306 hours. He logged no flight time between July 2012 and September 2017, then logged 24 hours between September 2017 and the accident. His most recent flight review was completed on September 7, 2017. His first flight in the accident airplane was on October 25, 2017, and he had logged about 18 hours in it. He did not hold an FAA medical certificate but had completed BasicMed requirements on August 28, 2017.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, a Wittman Tailwind, had a steel tube fuselage, wooden wing structure, and fabric covering. It was built by the pilot and received its special airworthiness certificate on September 20, 2017. No defects were noted during initial certification. It was powered by a Lycoming O-320-B1A engine with a wooden propeller. According to the engine manual, fuel consumption was about 10 gallons per hour. Friends stated the pilot usually kept the fuel tank topped off. Total fuel capacity was 32 gallons.
Meteorological Information
Weather reported at D39 around the accident time included clear skies, 10 miles visibility, and wind from 350° at 3 knots.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The accident site was in a large plowed field. The left side of the cabin had been moved by first responders. There was no postcrash fire and no fuel odor. No evidence of impact with obstructions was found. The airplane impacted the ground in an approximate 45° nose-down, wings-level attitude. The cockpit and front cabin structure were mostly destroyed. Both wing leading edges were destroyed. The empennage was bent forward and crumpled. The fuel tank and lines were compromised. One propeller blade was relatively undamaged; the other was shattered under the engine. The right elevator was separated from the control system and moved freely; the left elevator was in full down position and immovable.
Engine examination: crankshaft rotated with drivetrain continuity; thumb compression on all cylinders; spark plugs showed normal wear. Magnetos were removed but not tested due to impact damage. Oil sump broken; exhaust and intake pipes crushed; crankshaft flange deformed; starter ring broken; oil cooler crushed. Throttle and mixture cables broken from impact. Carburetor damaged. No mechanical anomalies were found.
Flight control examination: continuity was established from cockpit to all surfaces except the right elevator control horn, which was fractured adjacent to a weld joint. The left elevator was connected and undamaged. The right elevator tubular frame had overstress fractures; similar fractures on the left elevator. These were consistent with impact forces. The right elevator skin near attachment hinges showed overtravel marks; left elevator hinges showed overtravel in the downward direction. No other anomalies were found.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Ramsey County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death as blunt trauma. Toxicology testing at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory found no tested-for drugs, ethanol, or carbon monoxide.