Accident Overview
On June 30, 2019, about 0836 mountain daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Cub Crafters CCK-1865 airplane, registration N66DN, was substantially damaged when it struck terrain near Moab, Utah. The private pilot and student pilot on board were fatally injured. The flight, conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, originated from Canyonlands Regional Airport (CNY) in Moab about 0830. When the airplane did not return, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an Alert Notification. Later that day, the wreckage was located in a canyon about 11 miles south of Moab. A friend reported that the pilot was familiar with the canyon and had routinely flown there.
Flight Data
Two recording devices—a Dynon FlightDEK-D180 and a Garmin Aera 796—were recovered from the wreckage and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorder laboratory for data download. The Dynon unit, which integrated multiple flight instruments and engine parameters, recorded data approximately every 10 seconds. Analysis showed the airplane entered a canyon area and maneuvered at low altitude. During the last 10 seconds before impact, the airplane was on a southwest heading, climbing at about 793 feet per minute with a pitch of 10° nose-up and an airspeed of 55 mph, having lost about 10 mph over the preceding 30 seconds. All engine parameters, including rpm (2,412), were normal. About 37 gallons of fuel remained. The last data point, at 0836, indicated an elevation of 4,997 feet mean sea level, with the airplane having climbed about 400 feet in the last 30 seconds. Engine operation continued normally up to the final recording.
Personnel Information
The student pilot held an FAA third-class medical certificate issued September 23, 2013, with no limitations. On the medical application, he reported 210 total flight hours and 4 hours in the previous 6 months. Although his medical certificate had expired, he had applied for BasicMed; the course date was October 4, 2017, and the comprehensive medical examination checklist date was September 4, 2017. The private pilot held an FAA third-class medical certificate issued July 29, 2016, with no limitations. He did not report his flight time on the application, and his personal logbook was not located.
Weather and Wreckage
A review of weather conditions at the accident site found no evidence of strong wind, mountain wave, or turbulence. The wreckage site was on and near the top of a ridgeline running perpendicular to a canyon valley surrounded by mountainous terrain. Impact evidence indicated the airplane struck the terrain between the ridgeline top and about 2 feet below, then fell about 30 feet to where the main wreckage came to rest. All major components were within the main wreckage area. Debris, consisting of small fragments, was scattered about 15 feet from the main wreckage. The fuselage came to rest upright on a heading of about 053° magnetic on a 30-45° slope. On the ridgeline top, a wing root fairing seal embedded in vegetation, composite propeller blade cover fragments, oil stains, paint marks, and rock scars were observed. Disturbed rocks were seen on the slope leading to the main wreckage. There was no postimpact fire.
The left wing sustained substantial leading-edge damage along its entire span. The left flap's inboard nose rib remained attached to the fuselage but the flap separated from the rib. The aileron was partially attached and separated from the inboard attachment point. The left forward lift strut fork was broken with a few protruding threads. The right wing also sustained substantial leading-edge damage, with the flap and aileron similarly separated. Lower aileron control cables exhibited broomstraw damage consistent with overload. The empennage remained attached and relatively intact, though flight control continuity could not be established due to impact damage and the airplane's position. The vertical stabilizer, rudder, left and right horizontal stabilizers, and left elevator were attached; the right elevator was bent downward at midspan. The elevator trim was near neutral.
The instrument panel and cabin area were substantially damaged. The fuel selector was in the "both" position, the ignition in "both," and the airspeed indicator read zero. Circuit breaker panels were damaged; their positions at impact could not be determined. The primer was closed, and the emergency locator transmitter was intact and secured with its power off. The experimental Titan engine came to rest upright to the right of the main wreckage, separated from its mounts. The carburetor remained attached, but the gascolator fuel fitting for the carburetor supply line was separated. Rocker cover panels were attached on the engine's right side. The carburetor air box was crushed, and the starter separated. The oil screen, found in front of the engine, was clear of contaminants; the oil quantity lever indicated minimal oil, but the dipstick numerical lines were saturated. The two-bladed, composite-covered wood propeller separated from the crankshaft and splintered; both blades were broken away to the spinner. The spinner and hub remained attached to the crankshaft flange; the spinner was crushed with impact markings. Ground scars and damage were consistent with controlled flight into terrain.
Medical Information
The Utah Department of Health, Office of the Medical Examiner, conducted autopsies on both pilots. The cause of death for each was listed as "blunt force trauma." The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicological testing on the student pilot. Testing was negative for carbon monoxide. Ethanol was detected along with n-propanol, a postmortem product, indicating some or all of the ethanol may have originated from sources other than consumption. Additionally, carboxy-delta-9-THC, the inactive metabolite of marijuana, was detected, suggesting recent use but not proximate to the flight. No FAA toxicological testing was performed on the private pilot; however, local toxicology samples tested positive for a small amount of ethanol (with the same postmortem caveat) and negative for drugs.