20110215002099A

ON FEBRUARY 15, 2011 AT APPROXIMATELY 16:08, A 1942 TAYLORCRAFT DCO-65, REGISTRATION NUMBER N46089, SERIAL NUMBER 4230, DEPARTED THE PURDUE UNIVERSITY AIRPORT (KLAF) WITH A STRAIGHT OUT DEPARTURE OFF OF RUNWAY 10. THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT DEPARTED EASTBOUND FOR A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT.VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE.NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WAS RECEIVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE TAKE-OFF CLEARANCE WAS GIVEN. A REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK SHOWED THAT HE WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED TO ACT AS PILOT IN COMMAND.A PASSENGER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS SITTING IN THE REAR SEAT.^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ABLE TO GIVE A STATEMENT TO THE FACT THAT IT WAS A LOCAL FLIGHT AND THAT HE CONTACTED LOCAL AUTHORITIES AFTER THE CRASH.AT APPROXIMATELY 16:52, THE TIPPECANOE COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED REGARDING AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INFORMATION RECEIVED WAS THAT THE PASSENGER HAD FREED HIMSELF FROM THE WRECKAGE, AND WENT FOR HELP. OFFICERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS WERE DISPATCHED.THE FIRST RESPONDERS REPORTED THAT IT TOOK APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR TO EXTRICATE THE PILOT, WHO WAS SITTING IN THE FRONT SEAT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SUFFERED SERIOUS INJURIES TO HIS HEAD, AND LEGS AND WAS UNCONSCIOUS AT THE TIME HE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE IU CLARIAN HOSPITAL. AFTER A SHORT STAY HE WAS LIFELINED BY "PHI" AIR AMBULANCE TO INDIANAPOLIS METHODIST HOSPITAL. THE PILOT SUCCUMBED TO HIS INJURIES ON FEBRUARY 26, 2011.ON FEBRUARY 18, 2011 THE PASSENGER STATED THAT THEY WERE ON A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 1,500 FEET, WHEN THE PILOT STARTED WHAT THE PASSENGER BELIEVED TO BE A LEFT TURN. THE PILOT MADE THE STATEMENT "OH MY GOD" AND THE PLANE DROPPED STRAIGHT DOWN INTO A SMALL WOODED AREA. OPEN FIELDS SURROUNDED THIS WOODED AREA THAT WOULD HAVE MADE A SUITABLE EMERGENCY LANDING SITE.NO MECHANICAL ISSUES WERE OBSERVED IN THE POST CRASH INSPECTION.