History of Flight
On January 30, 2022, about 1710 mountain standard time, a Christavia MK1 airplane, registration N3177F, sustained substantial damage when it crashed near Oral, South Dakota. The uncertificated pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot texted him asking if he could taxi the airplane on the private airstrip located at the friend's residence. At the time of the request, the friend was not at home. He arrived about 1645 and observed the pilot taxiing. About 1700, the friend saw the airplane airborne, and the pilot completed two touch-and-go landings on the airstrip before departing to the south.
About 1720, the friend texted the pilot to ask his location but received no response. The friend then took off in his Piper airplane to search for the pilot and located the accident airplane in a field near the pilot's residence, about 2 miles from the private airstrip. He returned to his airstrip and drove to the accident site. The friend noted that the pilot had the lap belt secured but was not using the shoulder harness.
There were no witnesses to the accident.
Personnel Information
According to the friend and Federal Aviation Administration records, the pilot did not hold a pilot certificate and had no previous training or flight experience.
Aircraft Information
The pilot had been assembling the kit airplane for several months in preparation for certification, according to the friend.
Wreckage and Impact Examination
Postaccident examination revealed that the left-wing aft spar had separated at the wing root, and the wing was displaced forward. The lower forward fuselage was crushed upward and aft. The outboard right wing displayed leading edge aft crush damage, and a ground scar consistent with the wing leading edge was located below the wing. The engine was displaced downward and to the right. The fixed-pitch propeller, separated at the engine crankshaft flange, was found about 5 ft forward of the main wreckage, with forward twisting deformation on its blades.
Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to all flight control surfaces. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.