What happened
On November 4, 2018, an experimental amateur-built Titan Tornado 1, registration N38FD, crashed in a field approximately one mile northeast of Louisa County Airport (LKU) in Louisa, Virginia. The flight occurred during visual meteorological conditions with a wind of 090 degrees at 6 knots and 10 miles of visibility.
Shortly after departing the airport, a witness at the fixed-base operator reported that the aircraft sounded louder than usual. The witness also reported hearing an expletive over the common traffic advisory frequency before all communications ceased. GPS data recovered from the wreckage indicated the flight lasted approximately two minutes. After an initial climb to 400 feet above ground level (agl) at 60 knots, the aircraft's groundspeed dropped to 34 knots while descending approximately 300 feet before impacting the ground.
The pilot, a 70-year-old sport pilot with 636 total flight hours, sustained 1 fatal injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found the wing had separated from the airframe, with more damage noted on the right leading edge. The engine, powered by a Rotax 503, appeared undamaged, and manual rotation confirmed that the camshaft, crankshaft, and compression were intact. While a 2-inch hole with corrosion was found in the muffler, examination of the engine revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation.
Fuel recovered from the filters and carburetors was automobile gasoline mixed with 1% blue two-cycle aviation oil.
An autopsy of the pilot revealed blunt force trauma as the cause of death. Medical findings included hypertensive cardiomyopathy, emphysema, and severe atherosclerosis of the aorta. Toxicology results showed the presence of blood pressure medications (atenolol and amlodipine) and a non-impairing level of a dextrorphan metabolite, but no ethanol or carbon monoxide.