History of Flight
On August 11, 2018, at about 0855 mountain daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Hornet airplane, registration N218B, impacted terrain during takeoff from St. George Regional Airport in St. George, Utah. The pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed.
Security camera footage at the airport captured the airplane taxiing toward the end of the runway, after which it left the camera's view. Shortly thereafter, the airplane reappeared, observed just above the runway surface in a nearly wings-vertical, nose-low attitude before impacting the ground. According to the airplane's owner, a sudden gust of wind "came out of nowhere" shortly before the accident, shaking the building in which he was located. First responders arriving about 10 minutes after the accident reported that the engine was still running.
Personnel and Aircraft Information
The airplane was registered to the Western Sky Aviation Warbird Museum Inc. and was operated by the pilot. The airplane's owner stated that the pilot was heavily involved with the airplane, meticulous about maintenance and safety, and had accumulated thousands of flight hours in various aircraft, including lighter and heavier types. However, the pilot had only about 5 hours of flight time in the accident airplane. Since the airplane was new, the pilot had taxied it extensively and flew only in calm winds to familiarize himself with its handling characteristics.
The airplane was built by its previous owner, who never flew or certified it. It was donated to the museum, which then certified, operated, and maintained it. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accrued a total of 17 hours of operation.
Meteorological and Airport Information
At the time of the accident, the wind was perpendicular to the departure runway, with reported winds of 8 knots and no recorded gusts. The airplane's owner noted that random wind gusts similar to the one described were relatively common at the airport due to the surrounding desert terrain.
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest in dirt about 35 feet from the runway edge, in a nose-down attitude with the nosewheel separated due to fracture. The forward fuselage was bent to the left. Both wingtips exhibited upward crush damage, while the tail remained mostly undamaged. The cabin and fuselage structure were twisted, and the fabric was ripped in several places. Flight control continuity was established throughout the airframe, and postaccident examination revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Medical and Toxicological Findings
An autopsy performed by the Utah Department of Health Office of the Medical Examiner determined the pilot's cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicological testing conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified ibuprofen in the pilot's urine; venlafaxine (and its active metabolite desmethylvenlafaxine), fexofenadine, and tamsulosin in the pilot's blood and liver; and azacyclonol (a metabolite of fexofenadine) in the liver. No ethanol or carbon monoxide were detected.
Venlafaxine, commonly marketed as Effexor, is an antidepressant with side effects including dizziness and drowsiness, and carries warnings about operating machinery. It is a medically disqualifying medication for pilots. Fexofenadine (Allegra) is a nonsedating antihistamine, tamsulosin (Flomax) is a nonsedating medication for an enlarged prostate, and ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug.