20040726016579A

(-23) On July 26, 2004, at 1610 eastern daylight time, a stephens akro a single-engine airplane, N45KY, was demolished while maneuvering near Westport, NY. The rated foreign based private pilot/owner, the sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. No flight plan was filed while the pilot conducted aerobatics in the vicinity of the Westport, NY airport (N25). Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 code of federal regulations part 91. Preliminary data from witnesses has indicated that the pilot was conducting his fourth 15 minute aerobatic flight of the day. A witness in a nearby hayfield stated that he saw the aircraft go into a nose dive and then pull up a few times. The witness then stated, "then one time I heard the engine turn off, I watched as he was heading toward the ground and I never saw him come back up." Another witness who was golfing at a nearby golf course stated, "the plane would go, up, stall, then tip over, go through a spin and recover. He would do this a number of times. Then his golf partner said that "guys really spinning." I looked and it was more of a flat spin and it said that guy better pull it up. Thenhe went below the trees and we heard a thud sound..." The airplane wreckage was examined at the accident site on July 27, 2004. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the scene. The airplane impacted flat hayfield, and came to rest at an elevation of approximately 260 feet MSL. The wreckage came to rest on the approximately 1/4 mile north northwest of the Westport airport (N25). The wreckage path was oriented on an estimated heading of 180 degrees magnetic, and with no forward movement. The entire wreckage came to rest in a normally orientated flat position. The right wing excluding the main spare had separated and had moved aft about 5 feet from the main spare. The left wing was general intact with the exception of the rear spare separating from the fuselage joint. Examination of the leading edges of the wings revealed that there was little impact with the ground. The empennage and tail section were intact with some sheet metal wrinkling in the empennage. The tail section was undamaged. The engine had impacted the ground at approximately a 45-degree angle with the propeller spinner approximately imbedded 1 foot into the ground. The engine was skewed left of longitudinal axis 15-degrees. The cockpit area was mainly intact with compression in the area of the rudder peddles of 6 to 12 inches. The main fuel tank was breached in numerous places. Approximately 2 quarts of fuel were observed pouring from the tank when the aircraft was moved. The fuel cap was not found in the wreckage. Control cable continuity was established for all flight control surfaces to the cockpit except for the right wing aileron that was damaged in the crash. The engine mixture control was inconsistent with normal flight operations. The throttle was full forward and was damaged in the impact. The elevator trim handle was found in full nose down position. Inspection of the engine and propeller revealed that one of the three blades snapped and was under the engine. The other two blades exhibited no damage consistent with either low or no power being produced by the engine. The engine was identified as an IO-360-AIA serial number 941-51. Fuel injector inspection did not reveal fuel present however some fuel was evident in the fuel injection distribution box. The fuel line between the fuel tank and the distribution box was severed. The pilot held a private pilot foreign-based certificate for airplane single-engine land and a current canadian medical certificate. He did not hold a federal aviation administration (FAA) medical certificate. The medical examiners preliminary report has indicated that pilot had coronary artery disease. (-23 amendment) the medical final report has indicated that pilot did have coronary artery disease. However, it did reveal that there was heart action at the time of impact. It also indicated that it is possible that the pilot may have suffered some type of cardiac seizure or momentary blackout, and therefore may have been unable to recover from the dive the aircraft was in. As of 9/24/2004 no toxicologic report has yet been provided to the medical examiner. A copy of the report will be appended to this report upon receipt. If the toxicologic report amends the medical examiner's report this report will also be amended as warranted.