History of Flight
On June 13, 2020, at approximately 1400 central daylight time, a Vans RV8 airplane, registration N836JC, was destroyed in an accident near Mandan, North Dakota. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
A witness who met with the pilot before the flight noticed that the aft cockpit seatbelt was strapped around the control stick. The pilot explained this was done to secure the flight controls while parked in windy conditions. The witness reminded the pilot to remove the belt before departure. After walking away, the witness saw the pilot turn around in the cockpit but could not see what he was doing. The witness observed that the airplane's elevator was up as it departed. The airplane became airborne quickly, flew straight up, rolled left, and then descended vertically before impacting the ground, after which a fire ensued. The elevator remained in an up position at the accident site and slowly lowered during the fire.
Another witness noted strong winds caused the airplane to swing during taxi. The pilot completed a 360-degree turn on the ramp and taxied to the runway. The elevator was up during taxi and remained up throughout takeoff. Upon liftoff, the airplane climbed straight up to about 50 feet above ground, entered a left bank, and then descended nose-down vertically to impact. This witness and another attempted to pull the pilot from the wreckage, but the airplane became fully engulfed in flames.
Aircraft Information
The airplane was a low-wing, tailwheel-equipped design with tandem seating. Both forward and aft seats were equipped with seatbelts and flight controls.
Wreckage and Impact Information
Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the wreckage site. The inboard portions of both wings, the engine, and sections of the fuselage showed thermal damage consistent with a post-impact fire. A ground scar was present south of the wreckage, with linear gouges within it. The propeller blades displayed leading edge nicks and chordwise abrasion. The trim tab on the left elevator was displaced downward, indicating nose-up trim. The cockpit interior was discolored, deformed, and charred, and the seatbelt webbing was not identified.
Medical and Pathological Information
The North Dakota Department of Health State Forensic Examiner conducted an autopsy and toxicological testing. The cause of death was blunt head and chest injuries with burning by fire. Toxicology tests performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory were negative for carboxyhemoglobin, ethanol, and drugs of abuse.
Additional Information
The airplane kit manufacturer had a stated policy for its company pilots that only the pilot's stick should be wrapped when securing controls, and the copilot/passenger stick should never be used for this purpose.