Accident Overview
On June 30, 2019, at 1445 Eastern Daylight Time, a Piper J-3C-65 airplane, registration N98527, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elyria, Ohio. The pilot, who was operating the aircraft under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight, was fatally injured. Witnesses reported that the airplane had just performed a touch-and-go landing to runway 27. As it climbed to an altitude of about 75 to 100 feet above ground level, the aircraft rolled left and right, and the engine revolutions per minute "seemed to drop off." The airplane then entered a left descending turn, followed by a right turn before descending vertically into an open field.
Aircraft and Wreckage
The airplane impacted a flat, open field approximately 330 feet south of the departure end of runway 27. The wreckage was oriented on a westerly heading in a nose-down attitude and was confined to the point of impact. The engine and firewall were pushed aft into the cockpit area. Both wings exhibited impact damage, and the fuselage showed buckling and twisting to the right. Flight control continuity was verified from the cockpit to each control surface.
No fuel was found in the fuel tank, but the odor of aviation fuel was detected at the scene. The fuel system was compromised, with the gascolator impact-damaged and damage to the carburetor. The engine was partially embedded in the ground. One wooden propeller blade was oriented vertically and displayed no impact damage, while the other blade was folded aft under the wreckage. The propeller spinner was partially crushed and showed no indications of rotational scratches or crushing.
The four top spark plugs were removed, and engine continuity was verified by rotating the propeller and observing piston movement in each cylinder. Black, sooty deposits consistent with carbon fouling were present on the spark plugs. Compression was verified in each cylinder. The left and right magnetos were removed, and spark was verified at each ignition lead by rotating each magneto manually.
The carburetor was impact-damaged, and its operability and the presence of fuel could not be verified. The mixture control lever on the carburetor was found safety-wired to the RICH position. The carburetor heat control located on the forward right side of the cockpit was extended less than one inch out from the OFF position. The carburetor heat control lever mounted on the engine airbox was found aft of center toward the "ON" position. The airbox, airbox-mounted control lever, control rod mounting bracket, and control rod each exhibited impact damage. No anomalies were noted with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Additional Information
The Federal Aviation Administration Special Airworthiness Information Bulletin (SAIB) CE-09-35, "Carburetor Icing Prevention," notes that carburetor icing can occur at temperatures above freezing in conditions of visible moisture or high humidity. According to the icing probability chart included in SAIB CE-09-35, the weather conditions at the time of the accident placed the airplane in the region of susceptibility to serious carburetor icing at glide power.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Lorain County Coroner performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, and the manner was accident. The coroner's findings included an enlarged heart (510 grams), mild coronary artery atherosclerosis, sclerotic arteries in the kidneys, and an enlarged fatty liver. No other significant natural disease was identified.
The FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicology testing on the pilot's tissue samples. Codeine was identified in subclavian blood at 10 ng/mL and in urine at 1,035 ng/mL. Morphine (204 ng/mL) and hydrocodone were detected in urine. Laudanosine, a metabolite of drugs used for general anesthesia, was detected in urine, along with flecainide (a medication for irregular heartbeat) in heart blood and urine. The non-sedating high blood pressure medication hydrochlorothiazide was also detected in heart blood and urine. First responders confirmed that no medications were administered to the pilot, and the pilot was pronounced dead at the scene.