20090307010739A

(-23) ON 3/7/2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 1025 EST A FIXED WING, FRITZ WALTER E. RV3-A EXPERIMENTAL, AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT, N933WF, S/N # 11316, SINGLE ENGINE (LYCOMING O-320-E3D-S/N L-36447-27A), ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND PILOTED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS INVOLVED IN A AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT. THE WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS CLEAR AND TEMPERATURE AT 69 DEGREES F. WIND BLOWING AT 11 KNOTS FROM THE SOUTH WEST (230), WIND GUSTS REACHING APPROXIMATELY 21 KNOTS. AIRCRAFT DEPARTED PUTNAM COUNTY AIRPORT (417) AND APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE SOUTHEAST OF AIRPORT AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A HARVESTED CORNFIELD NEAR INTERSECTION OF CR 275 EAST AND CR 325 SOUTH IN PUTNAM COUNTY, GREENCASTLE, INDIANA 46135. THE INITIAL IMPACT SITE CONTAINED PIECES OF THE PROPELLER BLADES FOUND BURIED IN THE GROUND. ALSO EVIDENT WAS GROUND SCARS WHERE THE WING TIPS IMPACTED THE GROUND. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET FROM INITIAL IMPACT. LEFT WING TIP WAS TORN OPEN AND BENT TO THE REAR. RIGHT WING WAS ALSO TORN OPEN AT WING TIP. BOTH WING TIPS WERE BUCKLED AND WARPED TOWARD THE REAR OF THE AIRCRAFT. BOTH WINGS SUSTAINED MAJOR DAMAGE AND WERE SEVERELY WRINKLED DURING THE CRASH. VISUALLY CHECKED RIGHT FUEL TANK AND FOUND NO FUEL IN TANK. THE LEFT FUEL TANK HAD A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT WAS PRESENT AND BARELY COVERED THE BOTTOM OF THE TANK. THE FAA WAS UNABLE TO VERIFY CONDITION OF FUEL BOWL AND CARBURETOR. THERE WAS MINIMAL RESIDUAL FUEL PRESENT AT AIRCRAFT SCENE AND NO INDICATION OF FUEL SEEPAGE BENEATHE OR AROUND AIRCAFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAS A FUEL CAPACITY FOR 30 US GALLONS OF FUEL. EACH WING IS CAPABLE FOR 15 GALLONS OF FUEL. DURING THE REMOVAL OF THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE WRECKAGE SITE ONTO THE FLATBED TRUCK, THERE WAS A SMALL AMOUNT OF FUEL THAT HAD DRAINED WHEN THE PETCOCK OPENED. ESTIMATES A PINT TO TWO PINTS WAS PRESENT AND DRAINED OUT. LEFT MAIN WHEEL WITH STRUT AND TUBING ATTACHED WAS LYING BEHIND RIGHT SIDE OF AIRCRAFT NEXT TO TAIL SECTION. RIGHT MAIN WHEEL AND STRUT WAS FOLDED UNDER RIGHT WING. THE FUSELAGE TAIL SECTION WAS TORN AND FOLDED OR BENT TO THE RIGHT. THE FUSELAGE AND TAIL SECTION WAS BENT, WRINKLED AND DEFORMED. THE FUSELAGE TUBING WAS TWISTED AND BENT TO THE LEFT. UNDER THE PILOT SEAT THE FRAME TUBING WAS SEPARATED SO THE PILOT SEAT WAS ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CABLES THAT WENT TO THE REAR WERE STILL ATTACHED. THE FORWARD FUSELAGE FIREWALL WAS DETACHED, TWISTED AND BENT AWAY FROM THE FUSELAGE. ENGINE MOUNTS TUBING WAS FRACTURED AND THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE WAS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE FIREWALL. THE LEFT FORWARD UPPER ENGINE CYLINDER INNER BAFFLE COWLING HAD COLLAPSED NEAR THE PROPELLER NOSE CONE. THE NOSE COWLING WAS DETACHED AND BATTERED LYING APPROXIMATELY 5 FEET SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT OF ENGINE. THE CANOPY WAS BOWED AND APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET FORWARD OF AIRCRAFT. NOTED THE FOLLOWING ENGINE CONTROL POSITIONS: THROTTLE CONTROL PUSHED "IN". CARB-HEAT CONTROL PUSHED "IN". CABIN HEAT CONTROL PUSHED "IN". MASTER SWITCH "OFF". INSTRUMENT POWER SWITCH "OFF". BOOST PUMP SWITCH "OFF". RADIO SWITCH "OFF". FUEL TANK SELECTOR IN THE "OFF". ALTERNATOR SWITCH IN THE "UP" POSITION. MIXTURE CONTROL PUSHED "IN". MASTER SWITCH KEY IN THE "OFF" POSITION.