Accident Overview
On December 4, 2024, at approximately 1451 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Vans RV-8A, registration N627TT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Blackmore, Virginia. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The flight was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a business flight.
Flight History
The pilot had refueled at Virginia Highlands Airport (VJI) in Abington, Virginia, receiving 16.8 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. The operations manager at VJI observed the departure from runway 24. Shortly after takeoff, the airplane performed a sharp bank and left pull while turning downwind, then executed a low pass over the runway at approximately 50 ft before a vertical climb and departure from the airport area. The manager noted that he had known the pilot since 2015 and had not previously observed such flying behavior from him.
ADS-B data showed the airplane departed VJI at 1426 and flew in the vicinity before heading southwest, then west and northwest. Altitude varied between about 2,100 ft and 3,700 ft mean sea level. At 1444, while at 2,725 ft, the airplane initiated a left turn, followed by a sharp left turn and a 200-ft climb. It then turned right, climbed to 2,825 ft, descended to 2,600 ft, climbed again to 2,875 ft, and descended to 2,450 ft. The last recorded ADS-B data at 1447 indicated an altitude of 2,150 ft.
The accident site was at a private airstrip. According to the airstrip owner, a family member of the pilot, the pilot had a business meeting in Louisville, Kentucky, that he intended to attend. The family member stated that the pilot had occasionally flown over the property at low altitudes while en route to other destinations but had never landed there.
Accident Sequence
A witness recorded video of the airplane maneuvering over the airstrip. The video showed the airplane flying low over the turf runway, then entering a short, gradual climb. Shortly after the climb began, the airplane rolled to the right, continued to an inverted attitude, then pitched nose-down toward the ground and descended to impact.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage came to rest upright on the turf runway, oriented on a 320° magnetic heading. The debris field was confined to an approximately 80-ft radius and contained all structural components. A 10-ft-long ground scar consistent with the right wing geometry and a 2-ft-diameter, 12-inch-deep crater were located about 8 ft from the main wreckage. The propeller was separated from the engine and remained in the crater.
The cockpit instrument panel was displaced forward and down, and all navigational instrumentation and the engine monitoring system were destroyed. The fuselage was buckled and compressed. The empennage was buckled and twisted to the right. Rudder cables were connected but pinched and bound due to impact damage. Elevator torque tubes were crushed and broken at the empennage-fuselage separation point but remained connected to the elevators. Both wings exhibited leading-edge damage; the right wing was displaced aft, and the left wing forward. Control continuity from the control stick to the ailerons was established.
Engine and Propeller Findings
The engine remained attached to the engine mount and firewall, though the mount was broken and bent in multiple locations, displacing the engine downward. The crankshaft flange was impact-separated and attached to the propeller. One magneto was destroyed; the other had minor damage and produced bright blue spark at all leads when the impulse coupling was actuated.
The top spark plugs were removed, and their electrodes showed normal wear and coloration. The crankshaft was rotated 720° via a drive tool through the vacuum pump drive pad; thumb compressions and valve action were observed on all cylinders. Crankshaft-to-camshaft continuity was established.
The two-blade metal propeller exhibited chordwise scoring, torsional bending, and leading-edge polishing. One blade was bent forward with an 'S' bend.
Additional Information
The pilot purchased the airplane in October 2021. A condition inspection was completed on July 6, 2024.