19991024028959A

(.19) On October 24, 1999, at 1752 central daylight time, a sturges spezio sport amateur built airplane, N75JS, was destroyed when it impacted power lines and terrain, and then collided with an automobile while maneuvering near Mathis, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot and his pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. One of the four occupants of the automobile was seriously injured and three sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 code of federal regulations part 91 personal flight, for which a flight plan was not filed. The local flight originated from the arrowhead private airstrip near lagarto, Texas, at an undetermined time. According to witnesses travelling on interstate highway 37, the tail-wheel equipped airplane was observed flying "very low" toward the east before turning to the south over I-37. The tandem-seat airplane was observed in a "continuous descent" and the witnesses "thought that the airplane was attempting to land on the south-bound lanes of I-37." The airplane's landing gear impacted a set of power lines running perpendicular to the interstate, veering th e plane to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted another set of power lines and was "flung nose down into the north-bound lanes of I-37." The witnesses stated that the airplane and the automobile collided and then slid off the road to the east. The wooden and composite airplane was fragmented in several sections as it came to rest atop and adjacent to the car. There was no reported fire at the accident site. The witnesses stated that they could not smell fuel at the accident site; however, local law personnel stated that fuel could be smelled at the accident site. According to the FAA inspectors, who examined the wreckage, the integrity of the fuel tanks was compromised. The engine was separated from the airplane and no fuel was found in the lines. The pilot had accumulated approximately 17,700 total flight hours. At 1751, the weather at corpus christi (located 27 miles southeast of the accident site) was reported to be sky clear, 10 statue miles visibility, wind from 090 degrees at 9 knots, temperature of 75 degrees fahrenheit, dewpoint of 43 degrees fahrenheit. The brownsville sectional chart depicts numerous power lines running parallel and perpendicular to I-37 I n the area north of Mathis, Texas. The power lines that the airplane contacted were not highlighted with markers. (.4)according to witnesses traveling on an interstate highway, the amateur-built experimental airplane was observed flying 'very low' toward the east before turning to the south over the interstate. The airplane was observed in a 'continuous descent' and the witnesses 'thought that the airplane was attempting to land on the south-bound lanes of [the interstate].' The airplane's landing gear impacted a set of power lines running perpendicular to the interstate, veering the plane to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted another set of power lines and was 'flung nose down onto the north-bound lanes of [the interstate].' The witnesses stated that the airplane and an automobile collided and then slid off the road to the east. The wood and composite airplane was fragmented in several sections as it came to rest atop and adjacent to the car. A post accident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented its normal operation prior to the accident. Impact damage to the airframe destroyed the fuel syste m, precluding its examination. (-23)at approx 1752 CST on 10/24/99, a sturges spezio sport amateur built airplane was destroyed when it impacted power lines and terrain, and then collided with an automobile while manuvering near Mathis, TX. The ATP rated pilot and his pilot rated female passenger were fatally injured. One of four occupants of the automobile was seriously injured. The aircraft was observed flying very low toward the east before turning to the south over I-37. The airplane's landing gear impacted a set of line running perpendicular to the interstate, veering the plane to the left. Subsequently, the airplane impacted another set of power lines and was "flung nose down" into the north-bound lanes of I-37. The airplane and the automobile collided and then slid off the road to the east. The wooden and composite airplane was fragmented in several sections as it came to rest atop and adjacent to the car.