History of Flight
On August 4, 2018, about 1045 central daylight time, an Extra EA-400 airplane, registration N13EP, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Ponca City, Oklahoma. The pilot and four passengers sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
A witness observed the airplane depart from Ponca City Regional Airport (PNC) on runway 17. The witness reported that the airplane was slow to climb as it departed to the south, especially given the shallow angle of climb. Another witness who saw the airplane depart noted that the engine sounded unusual. This witness watched the airplane slowly climb from the runway and head south before turning west. A pilot flying near the accident airplane recalled that the airplane maneuvered with large changes in pitch and bank; later, it appeared to maneuver back toward the airport when it pitched nose down and turned, but “not like a spin.” He saw the wings level and the airplane impact the ground. A post-impact fire ensued and largely consumed the airplane’s composite structure, destroying the airplane.
Personnel Information
The pilot’s logbook was not located during the investigation. On the pilot’s last application for a medical certificate, he reported 4,000 total hours of flight time. His last medical certificate was issued on July 28, 2016. He did not reapply for a medical certificate, and there is no record of the pilot having completed the Basic Med checklist.
The pilot-rated passenger’s logbook was also not located. On his application for a medical certificate, he reported 450 hours of flight time in the preceding 6 months. The airplane was equipped with flight controls at both occupants’ seats. It could not be determined whether the pilot or the pilot-rated passenger was flying the airplane at the time of the accident.
Aircraft Information
The pilot purchased the airplane in July 2017; maintenance logbook entries from that time reported that the airplane had flown 211.3 hours in total. The last maintenance performed on July 13, 2018, recorded 412.3 hours total flight time.
Meteorological Information
The density altitude was calculated at 3,025 ft.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The wreckage was located in a soy-bean field. The debris field was in a narrow V shape about 50 ft long from the initial impact point. All major components of the airplane were found at the accident site. The initial ground impact crater contained the engine and the forward portion of the cockpit, including portions of the cockpit flight controls. The angle of the engine resting in the soil was nearly vertical.
A post-impact fire ensued and largely consumed the airplane’s composite structure. Postaccident examination of the airframe and cockpit controls was conducted. Flight control continuity was traced to all flight control surfaces. The flaps and landing gear both appeared to be in the retracted position. A majority of the cockpit instrumentation was destroyed; however, the airspeed indicator read 150 knots. A JPI engine data monitor unit was located, but due to fire damage its data could not be extracted. No preimpact anomalies were detected with the airframe.
The engine was impact and fire damaged. The engine was removed and examined. The examination did not find any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal engine operation.
During the on-scene portion of the investigation, a damaged Appareo Stratus S2 device was located in the wreckage. Damage to the device required removal and reinstallation of the memory chips to a donor device. Information recovered did not coincide with the accident flight and was not pertinent to the investigation.
Additional Information
A current weight and balance sheet was not located during the investigation. An estimated weight and balance for the flight used the following sources for weights: airplane basic weight from the Manufacturer’s Information Manual; pilot’s weight from his last FAA medical certificate; pilot-rated passenger’s weight from his last FAA medical certificate; adult passenger’s weight from the last FAA medical certificate; children’s weights from 50th percentile CDC guidelines based on age. Because the weight and existence of baggage could not be determined, no additional weight was added. Estimates revealed that, depending on fuel, baggage, and equipment on board and the location of the adult passenger, the center of gravity (CG) could have been within or aft of the recommended CG limits. Because the fuel load and location of passengers and baggage could not be determined or may have shifted during flight, it is not known whether the airplane’s weight and balance at the time of the accident contributed to the accident.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed autopsies on both the pilot and the pilot-rated passenger. The cause of death for both occupants was multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner of death was ruled an accident.
The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology testing on samples from the occupants seated at the controls. Specimens of both occupants tested positive for ethanol, but the samples were marked putrefied.