History of Flight
On June 30, 2023, at approximately 1349 central daylight time, an Icon A5 airplane, registration N239BA, was destroyed when it impacted Mille Lacs Lake near Onamia, Minnesota. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
According to ADS-B data, the airplane departed from Anoka County/Blaine Airport (ANE) in Blaine, Minnesota, around 1300 and proceeded northward, climbing to about 2,500 ft above mean sea level (msl). The pilot of a second Icon A5, N268BA, reported joining the accident airplane near Cambridge, Minnesota, at about 1315 for a prearranged formation flight. The two aircraft continued northwest, climbing to about 6,000 ft msl at 1325. Both airplanes then descended approximately 16 miles from the south shore of Mille Lacs Lake. ADS-B data ceased at 1347, about 6 miles from the accident site, showing the accident airplane at about 2,200 ft msl near the south shore.
The pilot of the second airplane stated that both pilots descended over the lake to about 50 to 75 ft above the water surface, with the accident airplane flying slightly lower. They communicated via onboard radios. The accident pilot's son was driving on a road along the west shore and communicated with the accident pilot via cellular telephone. The pilots agreed to fly closer to the west shore. The second pilot initiated a climb and turned westward; in his peripheral vision, he noticed a splash and thought the accident pilot had landed. He made several radio calls with no response.
A witness reported seeing both airplanes flying about 30–40 ft above the water but did not observe the accident. The accident airplane struck the water about one mile north of Indian Point in Shah-bush-kung Bay on Mille Lacs Lake.
Aircraft Information
The Icon A5 is a two-seat, high-wing, retractable gear, amphibious light sport airplane equipped with a ballistic recovery parachute. It received a special airworthiness certificate on May 24, 2019, and the pilot purchased it on May 31, 2019. The wingspan is 34.8 ft.
Meteorological Information
A witness on a boat at the time of the accident reported the water surface had a "very slight chop." The second pilot reported waves of four to six inches on the lake.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane was highly fragmented, with the main wreckage submerged in approximately 26 ft of water. A debris field was scattered on the water's surface. Recovery efforts retrieved all flight control surfaces, the engine, and most of the airframe. Both wings remained attached to the engine mount and center wing section. The outboard portion of the left wing was highly fragmented, with portions recovered in the debris field.
The left and right ailerons were impact-separated. The left aileron pushrod was damaged but continuous to the bellcrank; the right wing pushrod from the wing to center section juncture to the outer bellcrank was intact. The left and right flaps remained attached at the hinges. The left flap pushrod remained intact but separated from the forward spar attachment point, consistent with impact damage. The right flap pushrod was impact-separated from the control surface. The flap switch was found in the 0° position. Both folding wing lock mechanisms were in the "locked" position (normal for flight).
The empennage was impact-separated from the fuselage. The elevator push tube was damaged but still connected from bellcrank to control surface. The rudder cable remained attached to the rudder control surface; the forward portion was fracture-separated, consistent with overload. Control continuity from the cabin to rudder and elevator could not be determined due to impact damage. Both left and right folding elevator tips were in the "locked" position.
The main landing gear assembly and nose landing gear were impact-separated and found with the main wreckage. Landing gear position could not be determined due to damage; the landing gear selector was found in the UP position.
The engine remained attached to the mount and was recovered. Top spark plugs showed normal signatures. The oil tank contained oil and water. Water was purged from cylinders; thumb compression was confirmed on all cylinders. The valve cover on cylinder No. 1 was removed, and no anomalies were detected when the propeller was turned by hand. The carbon fiber propeller blades were connected at the hub, but the blade tips were impact-separated.
Flight Recorders
The airplane was equipped with an ICON digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) that recorded data including engine parameters, electrical system parameters, discrete states, airspeed, angle of attack, aircraft load factor, and GPS information including altitude. A total of 369 parameters were recorded (some duplicates); no flight attitude information such as pitch or roll was recorded. Review of the data showed the engine started at 12:54:27 CDT on the ground at ANE. The airplane taxied to Runway 27, departed at 13:01, and tracked north toward Mille Lacs Lake. It overflew the southern shore at about 1,000 ft above ground level (agl) and continued descending to the north-northwest. After traveling 5 nautical miles over the lake, at 13:50:58 CDT, the final data point recorded indicated the airplane was at 1,265 ft GPS altitude (about 12 ft agl), with a 291° GPS track, 78 knots indicated airspeed, and engine speed of 5,722 RPM.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy of the pilot was performed by the Mille Lacs County Coroner, which determined the cause of death as drowning and the manner as accident. The autopsy identified coronary artery disease with 70% narrowing of the proximal right coronary artery and 50% narrowing of the mid left anterior descending coronary artery by plaque, as well as diffuse aortic plaque. No other significant natural disease was found.
Postmortem toxicological testing detected delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC) at 1 ng/mL in femoral blood (NMS Labs) and at 1.4 ng/mL (FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory). 11-hydroxy-THC was detected at 16.7 ng/mL in urine but not in blood. Carboxy-delta-9-THC was detected at 145.7 ng/mL in urine and 3.1 ng/mL in femoral blood. Additionally, pseudoephedrine and fexofenadine were found in the pilot's blood and urine. Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) is an over-the-counter decongestant acceptable for pilots; fexofenadine (Allegra) is a non-prescription, non-sedating antihistamine acceptable for pilots. Delta-9-THC is the primary psychoactive chemical in cannabis and may impair motor coordination, reaction time, decision making, problem solving, and vigilance. The FAA considers use of marijuana by pilots unacceptable.