Accident Summary
On September 4, 2025, about 1418 eastern daylight time, a Czech Sport Aircraft Sportcruiser, N336SC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Fryeburg, Maine. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Flight Information
The purpose of the flight was to reposition the airplane from Eastern Slopes Regional Airport (IZG), Fryeburg, Maine, to Moultonborough Airport (4MB), Moultonborough, New Hampshire. The pilot's son reported that after a morning flight, they washed the airplane and added 8 gallons of non-ethanol unleaded gasoline, 4 gallons to each wing tank. This brought the total fuel to 13 gallons: 7 in the left wing tank and 6 in the right wing tank. The son then departed by car to 4MB, a drive of about one hour, while the flight was expected to take about 20 minutes.
Accident Sequence
Preliminary ADS-B data showed the airplane departed runway 14 at IZG and made a climbing left turn to a maximum altitude of about 2,100 ft mean sea level (msl) on a flight track of about 300°. Two minutes and 26 seconds later, the airplane stopped climbing at 2,100 ft msl on a track of about 210°, and 5 seconds after that began a descent of about 500 ft/min. About 15 seconds later, the airplane began a left turning descent that continued until the ADS-B data ended. The final data point reported the airplane at about 1,700 ft msl on a track of 025° with a descent rate of about 1,300 ft/min. Witnesses on the ground reported hearing a “loud pop,” which made them look up, and they observed the airplane “in a dive” with the ballistic parachute recovery system partially deployed. One witness at the airport described hearing a “bang” and then seeing the airplane about 1,000 ft above ground level in a left spin pointed “straight into the ground.”
Wreckage and Impact
The airplane came to rest in a wooded area just off a firebreak about 1 nautical mile from the departure airport. The wreckage was oriented on a magnetic heading of 118° at an elevation of 433 ft msl. All major components were contained within about a 40 ft radius. The initial impact point was about 30 ft above ground level on a tree located about 50 ft east of the main wreckage. The initial ground impact scar was about 25 ft from the tree, containing rocks with blue paint transfer consistent with wingtip impact. A larger ground impact crater consistent with engine impact was about 15 ft from the initial scar. The airplane came to rest about 10 ft from the large crater.
Airframe Examination
The fuselage was impact crushed up and aft. The cockpit canopy was impact separated and found nearby; the latch attachment points were torn in a manner consistent with the canopy being closed and latched at impact. The vertical stabilizer, rudder, and right horizontal stabilizer were undamaged. The left horizontal stabilizer, elevator, and pitch trim were displaced forward consistent with tree impact. Both wings remained attached at the main wing spars. The leading edge of the right wing outboard of the fuel tank was impact crushed up and aft; the left wing was impact crushed up and aft and bent upwards. Control continuity was established from all flight control surfaces to the cockpit controls through fractures in multiple rod ends consistent with overload impact separation.
Fuel System
Both fuel tanks were breached. The left wing tank contained no fuel, and about 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the right wing tank via the wing fuel sump. Both fuel tank caps were secured, and both fuel tank finger screens were unobstructed. The fuel selector was found set to the right fuel tank, and continuity of the fuel system was confirmed from the wing tanks through the fuel selector. The fuel line from the fuel selector to the fuel strainer was impact separated. The fuel strainer exhibited impact damage and contained no fuel; the strainer screen was unobstructed. Fuel drained from the electric fuel pump and bypass lines was tested for water; no water was detected. When an external electrical source was connected to the electric fuel pump and its intake placed in water, the pump operated without anomalies. Air blown through the electric fuel pump bypass and the fuel flow transducer showed no obstruction; the transducer wheel spun smoothly.
Ballistic Parachute Recovery System
The airplane was equipped with a ballistic parachute recovery system (BPRS) which was partially deployed. The red BPRS activation handle in the cockpit was out of its mount, consistent with an inflight deployment. The BPRS motor launch tube was mounted to the firewall, and the parachute and packing materials were stored in a bag in a bracket mounted horizontally to the firewall. All four parachute harness mounts were secure, and the airframe harness was partially deployed. The harness remained attached to the parachute riser, which was partially deployed. The suspension lines remained attached to the riser, with a portion still undeployed in the sleeve. The parachute remained attached to the suspension lines and was partially deployed from the sleeve. The drogue chute was entangled in the parachute sleeve and suspension lines and remained attached to the sleeve. The rocket motor and cable attachments remained attached to the drogue, and the rocket motor was found inside the baggage compartment. The nose of the rocket motor had paint transfer consistent with the entry hole in the top aft portion of the fuselage.
Engine Examination
Postaccident examination of the engine showed both carburetors had been impact separated from the engine; one remained attached to the wreckage through the throttle control cable, and the other was imbedded in the air intake housing. The reduction gearbox sustained impact damage, and the propeller shaft was forced aft into the crankcase. The large gear within the gearbox was also displaced aft, into the crankcase, which displayed gear tooth stamp marks with no rotational scoring signatures. After gearbox removal, both the propeller shaft and crankshaft rotated freely. The cylinder piston and valve faces examined with a lighted borescope exhibited lead buildup on the piston face and intake valves. Rocker covers were removed from each cylinder head, and all rocker arms, valve springs, and valves functioned normally. All spark plugs were removed and examined; they were yellow, consistent with 100 LL aviation fuel, and lead deposits were observed on the electrodes. The engine-driven fuel pump and right carburetor bowl contained fuel, and no water was detected with water finding paste. The oil filter adapter and oil filter were impact separated from the crankcase and remained attached via safety wire. The oil filter was cut open; no debris was noted in the pleats.
Additional Investigation
The airplane was equipped with avionics capable of recording flight and engine data. These units were removed and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board Vehicle Recorders Laboratory for data extraction. The airplane was retained for further examination.