History of Flight
On April 25, 2018, at approximately 1225 central daylight time, a North American SNJ 5 airplane, registration N12377, was destroyed when it impacted terrain shortly after takeoff from Kingsville Naval Air Station (NQI), Kingsville, Texas. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight originating at NQI with an intended destination of San Marcos Regional Airport (HYI), San Marcos, Texas.
Air traffic control tower personnel reported that the airplane took off on runway 13R and had requested a right teardrop turn for a departure toward the north. Several witnesses reported seeing the airplane in a steep right bank; some reported that the bank angle exceeded 90° and the maximum altitude achieved was 200-300 ft above ground level. The airplane descended nose low and the right bank angle decreased before impact between runway 17R/35L and taxiway B just south of the intersection of taxiways B and E.
Review of radar data showed that the airplane began its takeoff roll from runway 13R at 1224:01. Eleven radar returns were recorded, with the final return at 1224:52. No altitude data was recorded. The airplane's ground track continued along the runway centerline for about 2,000 ft before making a slight left turn followed by a right turn that continued to the end of the data. The final recorded position was about 100 ft east of the initial impact point. Based on the final three radar returns, the turn radius was estimated to be about 450 ft with a calculated average groundspeed of 87 mph, yielding a calculated bank angle of about 56° during the final portion of the flight. For a level 56° bank turn, the calculated load factor was 1.8g. Based on the velocity versus load factor diagram for the accident airplane, a load factor of 1.8g equated to an accelerated stall speed of about 95 mph.
Personnel Information
The pilot, age 64, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on April 17, 2018, with a limitation for corrective lenses. On the application, he reported 3,000 total hours of flight experience, with 40 hours in the previous 6 months. His flight logbook was not available for review.
The passenger, age 50, held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane multiengine land and airplane single-engine land ratings (the single-engine rating limited to commercial privileges). Military records indicated he had accumulated at least 2,400 flight hours before discharge. On his most recent FAA first-class medical certificate application (July 20, 2017), he reported 5,000 total hours; the certificate listed no limitations.
Aircraft Information
The airplane, serial number 85086, was a single-engine monoplane used to train military pilots from World War II into the 1970s. It had retractable conventional (tailwheel) landing gear and tandem seating for two. It was powered by a 600-horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 radial reciprocating engine driving a 2-blade constant-speed Hamilton Standard 12D40-6101-12 propeller.
Maintenance records indicated the most recent annual inspection was completed on November 20, 2017, at an airframe total time of 7,717.7 hours. The engine had accumulated 414.7 hours since its most recent overhaul. The pilot had owned the airplane since 2007.
Meteorological Information
At 1232, weather recorded at NQI included wind from 120° at 16 knots gusting to 23 knots, 10 miles visibility, few clouds at 3,000 ft above ground level, temperature 31°C, dew point 13°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.01 inches of mercury.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The initial impact point was in a grass area about 1,200 ft right of runway 13R centerline and about 3,500 ft from its approach end. Most wreckage came to rest on the ramp near taxiway E. The debris path oriented westerly, with the first impact mark about 20 ft from the east edge of the paved ramp area.
The engine separated from the fuselage, and the supercharger section separated from the cylinder section. The propeller remained attached with one blade intact displaying chordwise scratching and twisting toward low pitch; the other blade was missing its outboard 2 ft, which came to rest near the ground scar. A propeller slash was in the dirt.
Both wings separated upon impact. The right wing came to rest at the east edge of taxiway B, the fuselage on its right side about 30 ft west of the right wing, and the left wing about 100 ft further west. The wing center section and right wing showed crushing and fire damage. The left wing was predominantly intact with aft, angular crushing damage to the wing tip.
The fuselage was mostly intact, with steel tube structure at the firewall bent aft, more significantly on the right side, indicating about a 30° right-wing-low impact. Flight control continuity was established for rudder and elevator cables; aileron control cable breaks were consistent with overload failure. The forward cockpit control stick was fractured from the torque tube; the removable rear cockpit control stick was found on the ramp, but it could not be confirmed if it was installed prior to impact. The right landing gear remained attached; the left was broken loose. Examination revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical failures or anomalies.
Medical and Pathological Information
On his medical certificate application, the pilot reported use of tamsulosin (for benign prostate hypertrophy) and allopurinol (for gout), generally not considered impairing. Autopsy by the Nueces County Medical Examiner listed cause of death as blunt force trauma. The pilot had moderate to severe coronary artery disease (up to 60% narrowing of right coronary, 70% of left coronary). Toxicological testing detected diphenhydramine at 160 ng/ml in cavity blood (therapeutic range 25.0-112.0 ng/ml), pseudoephedrine, and caffeine. Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine that can impair mental and physical abilities; it undergoes postmortem redistribution, potentially elevating central blood levels.
The pilot-rated passenger reported no medications and no significant medical conditions on his most recent FAA medical examination. Autopsy documented cause of death as multiple crush injuries. He had moderate coronary artery disease with up to 50% narrowing of the right coronary, 40% of the left coronary, and 30% of the circumflex coronary arteries. Toxicology testing of femoral blood was negative for alcohol, carbon monoxide, and tested-for drugs.