Accident Summary
On July 1, 2020, at about 1030 eastern daylight time, an Evektor-Aerotechnik AS Sportstar, registration N820NG, was substantially damaged during a landing accident near Ocala, Florida. The pilot, a 78-year-old female, was fatally injured. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
The pilot had departed from Williston, Florida, and was returning to Leeward Air Ranch Airport (FD04) in Ocala.
Witness Accounts
A witness reported observing the aircraft on final approach to runway 18, noting that it appeared higher than normal. The airplane touched down "quite a way" down the runway, bounced, came back down, and bounced a second time. After the second bounce, the aircraft banked to the left and went out of sight on the left side of the runway.
Another witness, who was taking a break while working on his home, saw the aircraft flying southbound at a very low altitude. He stated that the right main tire struck the ground, causing the airplane to bounce, flip over, and come to a stop.
Wreckage Examination
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors responded to the accident site. The wreckage was found inverted at a 61° nose-low angle, with no fire. The fuselage and both wings sustained structural damage. The aircraft came to rest approximately 2,500 feet down runway 18 and about 200 feet east of the runway in a grassy area.
The wreckage was recovered to a salvage facility for further examination. The airframe was intact, though the engine had impact damage and had been repositioned onto the front seats by recovery personnel. Both wings sustained leading-edge impact damage. The flaps remained attached, but both connecting rods were fractured. The ailerons were attached and unremarkable, as was the empennage. Flight control continuity was confirmed to all components, though the rudder cable and elevator torque tube were cut during recovery.
A visual examination of the engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Spark plugs showed normal wear, and compression and suction were established on all cylinders. All three propeller blades were fractured off at the hub, and both carburetors were fractured at their mounts.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy conducted by the Florida Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death to be multiple blunt force injuries due to the aircraft crash, with the manner of death classified as accident.
Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified the nonimpairing compounds loratadine, desloratadine, and metoprolol in the pilot's cavity blood and liver tissue. Acetone, which can be produced postmortem, was also detected.
The medical examiner's report noted an enlarged heart (420 grams), hardening of the kidney arteries, and a 1-by-1-cm area of hemorrhage within the left basal ganglia indicative of an acute lacunar stroke.
The pilot, a 78-year-old female sport pilot, did not hold an FAA medical certificate and had never applied for one. Personal medical records indicated a primary care visit one week prior to the accident, at which time the pilot was 65 inches tall and weighed 178 pounds. Diagnoses included high blood pressure, hypothyroidism, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and high cholesterol. Medications prescribed included hydrochlorothiazide, metoprolol, quinapril, and clonidine. A CT scan of her brain in 2018 had shown a small amount of microvascular disease and old infarcts.
The pilot's logbook was not located after the accident, but an insurance application dated August 23, 2019, indicated the last flight review occurred in October 2017.