History of Flight
On September 24, 2020, at about 1105 central daylight time, a Quicksilver MX II airplane, N9045Z, departed from Skylark Field Airport (ILE) for a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. Shortly after takeoff, the engine stopped producing power. Witnesses observed the airplane maneuvering and descending without engine power. It impacted the median of a divided highway and struck a guard rail. Dash-cam video from a motorist on Highway 14 about 0.3 miles south of the approach end of runway 1 showed the airplane traveling north at low altitude with wings rocking. As it crossed the eastbound lanes, the right wing dropped, and it descended into the median. The airplane was substantially damaged; the pilot and pilot-rated passenger suffered fatal injuries.
Personnel Information
The pilot had applied for BasicMed. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, he submitted the Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist on June 15, 2017, and most recently completed the BasicMed course on July 16, 2019.
Aircraft Information
The airplane had an aluminum tube structure with open-air side-by-side seating. It was manufactured in 2000. The pilot/owner received a Special Airworthiness Certificate on September 22, 2007, and another on September 9, 2020. Maintenance records indicate the airplane was damaged in a forced landing on September 22, 2008, requiring major repair and airframe inspection. It was repaired, including an engine overhaul on May 25, 2010. The airplane was not flown again until September 12, 2020, when 8 takeoffs and landings were completed. The final maintenance entry was September 19, 2020. No entries after May 25, 2010, for engine overhaul were found. The manufacturer recommended overhaul interval was 5 years or 300 hours. The typical useful load per the kit manufacturer was 390 pounds. Combined weights of pilot and passenger from recent medical exams were 414 pounds, not accounting for fuel.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane came to rest inverted next to the westbound guard rail. The right wing was intact; the left wing had multiple breaks from impact. The fuselage structure was deformed. Postrecovery airframe examination revealed no pre-impact anomalies. Engine examination showed piston scoring on the magneto side piston consistent with cold seizure. Cold seizure results from thermal imbalance due to improper warm-up and excessive temperature differences between coolant exit and entrance. The airplane had a larger cooling radiator than the engine manufacturer supplied. Manufacturer documentation indicated the maximum coolant temperature difference between radiator entrance and exit should not exceed 43°F.
Medical and Pathological Information
The FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory identified hydrocodone and its metabolites (dihydrocodeine and hydromorphone), chlorpheniramine, dextromethorphan and its metabolite (dextrorphan), acetaminophen, salicylic acid, and albuterol in specimens obtained from the pilot. Hydrocodone is a prescription opioid that may impair mental or physical abilities. Chlorpheniramine is a sedating antihistamine that may cause drowsiness. Dextromethorphan at medicinal doses is generally not impairing. Acetaminophen, salicylic acid, and albuterol are generally not considered impairing.