Accident Details
On December 22, 2018, at approximately 1330 eastern standard time, a Czech Sport Sportcruiser, registration N564SC, was substantially damaged after striking trees during a forced landing near Naples, Florida. The private pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were on board. The pilot sustained serious injuries and succumbed to those injuries on January 23, 2019; the passenger received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from Naples Municipal Airport (APF) at about 1315. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot-rated passenger, after fueling the airplane to 20 gallons, he and the pilot departed. They climbed to 2,500 feet above ground level. About 25 miles east of APF, the airplane struck a large bird. The engine continued to operate for approximately 2 minutes, after which the low fuel warning indicator illuminated, and the engine stopped producing power. The pilot declared an emergency and chose to perform a forced landing on a road. During the landing roll, the airplane struck a road sign and several large trees, resulting in substantial damage.
Examination Findings
An examination by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the fuselage and wings were impact damaged during the accident sequence. The nose wheel fairing and the underside of the engine cowling showed evidence of a bird strike. Examination of the carburetor found that the butterfly valve operated without anomaly, but fuel was leaking from the assembly. The engine could not be examined to differentiate damage caused by the bird strike from that caused by the collision during the landing.