History of Flight
On May 30, 2019, at about 1516 Alaska daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Giles G-202 airplane, registration N202AK, was involved in an accident in Wasilla, Alaska. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight was operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
A witness reported that, as the airplane taxied to the approach end of runway 04 at Wasilla Airport (IYS), the pilot completed an initial engine run-up. The engine sounded strong with no unusual sounds. However, during the takeoff roll, two witnesses noted that the engine sounded unusual. After becoming airborne, the airplane remained in ground effect while increasing speed until it passed over the departure end of the runway. Several witnesses reported that the airplane then pitched up abruptly, and at about 500 ft above ground level, the engine sputtered. The airplane subsequently made a hard-left turn and pitched down. As it descended, it disappeared behind a stand of trees. Two witnesses reported the engine sound increased significantly during the descent, consistent with a high-power setting. The airplane impacted a paved roadway near the departure end of runway 04.
Aircraft Information
The Giles G-202 is a single-engine, low-wing, two-seat aerobatic airplane with tandem flight controls. The Federal Aviation Administration issued an experimental category airworthiness certificate for the airplane in May 2000. No logbooks were found or supplied by the family. The family stated that no recent fuel purchases were recorded on the pilot's credit card and that the airplane had been stored for the winter months before the accident.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Ground scars indicated that the airplane impacted on a heading of about 210°, at an elevation of about 332 ft mean sea level. The composite airplane was heavily fragmented, with substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage.
The engine and its components were rotated, and thumb compression was established on all cylinders in proper firing order. Mechanical continuity was established from the front to the rear of the engine. The rockers and valves moved uniformly, consistent with normal operation. The magnetos sparked on all leads, and no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions were noted.
The cockpit-mounted fuel selector valve was not placarded but rotated freely with firm detent and unobstructed flow. The gascolator was disassembled; the pleated paper filter had minor sediment in the bowl bottom, with no evidence of water contamination. However, the fuel system was compromised during the accident sequence.
The engine-driven fuel pump was disassembled; the diaphragm was intact, check valves secure, no visible contaminants, and no fuel inside. The fuel injection servo, fuel flow divider, and fuel injection nozzles were clean with no obstructions or debris. The fuel injection servo diaphragm stack was displaced from the fuel servo body and not observed.
The electric fuel pump, found inline from the gas tanks to the engine-driven fuel pump, did not spin freely after being electrically energized and did not operate as designed. The fuel pump cover was removed, and visible contaminations and corrosion were noted in the fuel pump and internal passages, restricting fuel flow. The fluid in the fuel pump was tested using water-finding paste; no water was detected. The contaminated material was sent to the NTSB Materials Laboratory, where Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometry determined it to be consistent with a mixture of fuel additives.
Medical and Pathological Information
The State of Alaska Medical Examiner's Office conducted an autopsy of the pilot. The cause of death was massive deceleration-type traumatic injuries. The FAA's Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory performed toxicology testing on specimens from the pilot, which were negative for drugs and ethanol.