History of Flight
On April 21, 2019, at 1443 central daylight time, a Rans S-7S airplane, registration N25TX, was destroyed in an accident near Kingsland, Texas. The pilot and a passenger were fatally injured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
A witness reported that the pilot had just completed several touch-and-go landings at Shirley Williams Airport before the passenger boarded. The witness saw the airplane taxi to the runway and shortly after heard it impact the ground.
Another witness observed what he described as a normal takeoff, followed by a steep climb lasting 15 to 20 seconds. At the top of the climb, the nose and left wing suddenly dropped, and the airplane entered a left-turning spiral, completing 3 to 4 slow rotations before hitting the ground. The witness stated that the engine sounded normal throughout and he noticed nothing wrong.
Aircraft Information
According to the second witness, in March 2019, the pilot and passenger (who was also a mechanic) had worked on the carburetors and synchronized them. The week before the accident, the pilot and passenger told the witness they were troubleshooting an engine sputter during steep climbs. They had cleaned the gascolator, checked fuel lines, and verified proper propeller adjustment. One day before the accident, the pilot flew with another passenger without attempting steep climbs, and the engine operated with no issues. On the day of the accident, the pilot planned to perform steep climbs to investigate the engine sputtering. It is unknown if the accident flight was the first such troubleshooting attempt.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane departed on runway 16 and impacted the ground near the south end. The accident site had a small initial impact point about 20 ft south of the main wreckage, containing a broken red lens, the pitot tube, and a piece of the left wing tip. Another impact area, about 6 ft south of the main wreckage, was a crater about 3 ft in diameter and 4 inches deep, containing white paint chips, plexiglass, a propeller blade, and the engine oil filter. A third small divot was found under the outboard leading edge of the right wing. The three impact points were in a relatively straight north-south line. The airplane came to rest upright facing southwest and was mostly consumed by postcrash fire. Airframe examination revealed no preimpact anomalies.
The engine remained attached to broken engine mounts and was mostly intact but severely fire-damaged. The propeller hub was attached to the crankshaft; one blade remained, while the other two were broken at the root. One broken blade was near the initial engine impact crater with chordwise scratches; the other was found 20 ft west, also with chordwise scratches and a separated tip. Engine examination at a secure facility showed significant thermal damage. The fuel pump was partially consumed, preventing full examination. According to manufacturer guidance and the fuel pump serial number, the pump had a five-year time limit and should have been replaced in 2010. No anomalies that would have precluded normal operation were found, but thermal damage limited the examination.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot performed by the Travis County Medical Examiner determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified amlodipine, hydrochlorothiazide, rosuvastatin, naproxen, and salicylate. These medications were not considered a hazard to flight safety.
An autopsy of the pilot-rated passenger also determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing did not identify any drugs or tested-for substances.