Accident Overview
On February 1, 2024, at about 1330 eastern standard time, a Grumman American Aviation Corporation GA-7, registration N887CC, sustained substantial damage after an accident near Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane was operating under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight to deliver the aircraft to its new owner in Tennessee.
Preflight and Takeoff
The pilot arrived at Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (MQS) around 1230 and expressed urgency, stating he was in a hurry due to a reservation for a flight from Knoxville, Tennessee at 1800 that evening. He called linemen multiple times and was displeased with the delayed fuel service. The airplane’s 116-gallon fuel system received 80 gallons of 100LL fuel, filling each tank “to the tabs.”
According to witnesses, the pilot did not perform a complete preflight inspection, did not obtain fuel samples from the tanks, and only checked the oil and walked around the airplane once without using a checklist. Some witnesses reported that the pilot did not perform a pre-takeoff engine run-up. The engine sounds were described as smooth and continuous until just after takeoff, when a loud pop was heard followed by sputtering. The airplane then made an “aggressive” right turn, followed by a left turn, and continued approximately parallel to the runway before disappearing from view.
Flight Path and Wreckage
ADS-B track data showed a ground track consistent with witness accounts. The airplane’s climb shallowed, groundspeed slowed, and the track depicted a sharp, tightening, descending right turn consistent with a Vmc roll. The track ended near the accident site.
The airplane came to rest upright on flat terrain in its initial impact crater on a 135° heading northwest of MQS. All major components were present. There was no evidence of fire. The right wing’s leading edge was uniformly crushed along its span with hydraulic deformation, and a corresponding ground scar was noted. The nose, instrument panel, and cockpit area were destroyed. The left wing separated and rested adjacent to the fuselage, with the leading edge outboard of the engine nacelle undamaged. The main wing spar fractured about mid-cabin, and all control cables separated consistent with impact forces. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit quadrants through several breaks to control surfaces, with all breaks showing impact or overload signatures. The preimpact positions of the fuel selectors and valves could not be determined due to fractures. The empennage and tail surfaces were deformed and bent upward about 90°, with rudder and elevator cables intact.
Engine and Fuel System Examination
Both two-bladed propellers displayed one blade bent aft approximately mid-span. The engines were removed and examined. Hand rotation confirmed continuity through the powertrain, valvetrain, and accessory sections. Magnetos were secure, and impulse couplings produced an audible snap. Top spark plugs showed normal wear and were light tan and gray. Compression was confirmed on all cylinders via the thumb method, and borescope examination showed normal wear and combustion deposits.
The left-engine carburetor had an intact float; the mixture arm was attached, but the mixture cable and throttle arm were separated by impact. Fuel from the bowl was blue with no visible water or debris, and water-detecting paste found no water. The right-engine carburetor also had an intact float, with the mixture arm, mixture cable, and throttle arm attached. Its fuel was blue but contained visible water and debris, and water was detected with paste. Both engines were sent to the manufacturer; no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies were found.
Both left and right fuel boost pumps, when energized, pumped fuel from their sump tanks. Both fuel samples contained water and debris. Samples from the right-side sump tank, engine-driven fuel pump, and carburetor bowl all contained water and debris. The required rubber gasket on the right-wing fuel cap was missing.
Maintenance and Weather
The most recent annual inspection was completed on December 14, 2023, at 4,269.3 total aircraft hours. After inspection, the airplane was flown from Michigan to MQS, where it sat outside for a week during periods of rain. Avionics installation and mechanical troubleshooting and repairs were performed during the week before the accident, including propeller governor rigging (both sides), left fuel quantity indicating system, alternator, alternator switch, and left magneto on the right engine. Work was completed on the day of the accident. Recorded precipitation at MQS from December 15, 2023, to February 1, 2024, totaled 10.79 inches.
Pilot Toxicology
An autopsy listed the cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma. Toxicological testing detected metoprolol, metformin, atorvastatin, sitagliptin, and clopidogrel in the pilot’s blood and liver. These medications are not considered impairing. Metoprolol (beta-blocker) is acceptable for pilots; metformin (diabetes) may require FAA review; atorvastatin (statin) is acceptable; sitagliptin (diabetes) is conditionally acceptable; clopidogrel (antiplatelet) is acceptable. None are disqualifying for BasicMed.