20050413012989A

(-23) Witnesses reported the aircraft flying in a southeasterly direction toward the Deer valley airport at a low altitude trailing black smoke. The aircraft suddenly made a steep right bank and nosed down. The aircraft then leveled out as the landing gear touched down on the northbound lande of I-17 north of Deer valley rd. just before the aircraft impacted an 18 wheel tractor trailer, traveling at 60 mph, on the right side approximately 15 feet forward of the trailer's rear wheels. The right wing made contact with a load of plywood and the nose of the aircraft with the engine and propeller impacted just forward of the trailer's wheels resulting in the wheel carriage tearing off the front of the aircraft and dragging it down the highway. The remainder of the aircraft came to rest facing north in the median. The pilot was ejected from the aircraft and sustained serious injuries. A highway patrol deputy reported fuel leaking from a line that runs to the left wing intrigal fuel tank: the right wing was considerably damaged along the leading edge and split open longitudinally exposing the intrigal fuel tank. There was no evidence of fuel in that tank. There was no evidence of fuel on the plywood that the aircraft impacted.