What happened
On April 16, 2026, at approximately 10:30 EDT, a Rajchl Vladimir Airplane Swing 06, registration N613SA, was involved in an accident near O'Brien, Florida. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 for personal use.
Prior to the accident, the pilot departed from O'Brien Airpark (FD71) at approximately 10:15. The pilot's intended flight plan involved flying a traffic pattern before departing on a sightseeing flight. A witness observed the aircraft flying northwest at approximately 300 feet above ground level (agl). After initially hearing a normal engine sound, the witness heard a popping or flapping noise. The witness then observed the aircraft pitch nose down at a 45-degree angle, followed by a full nose-down attitude, before rotating approximately 180 degrees and impacting the terrain.
The aircraft came to rest in an open field. The impact resulted in 1 fatality.
The investigation
Post-impact examination of the wreckage revealed that all three blades of the composite propeller had been liberated from the propeller hub assembly. One blade was found in the impact hole near the engine and was fractured mid-span; a second blade was found 100 feet to the right of the main wreckage and was undamaged; the third blade was found 90 feet to the left of the wreckage with a missing tip.
The engine was found buried 3 feet in soft soil. Investigation of the engine showed that fuel consistent with automotive gasoline was dripping from the unit. The engine rotated 720 degrees when force was applied to the crankshaft, and thumb compressions were noted on cylinders 1 and 3. A borescope examination of the combustion chambers showed no abnormalities in the piston domes, cylinder walls, or valves. The fuel in the fuel pump tested negative for water.
The fuselage sustained significant damage, including crushing and fractures. The fuel tank was breached, causing fuel to soak the surrounding vegetation. The left wing was separated from the fuselage and located 30 feet forward of the main wreckage, while the right wing was partially separated from the fuselage structure. The empennage was located behind the right wing, and while the horizontal stabilizer had separated from the empennage, it remained connected via control cables.