20121226028799A

ON DECEMBER 26 AT 1853 THIS INSPECTOR WAS NOTIFIED BY THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER OF AN ACCIDENT AT THE ST SIMONS AIRPORT (KSSI) WHICH OCCURRED AT 1800 LCL. ARRIVED AT THE SSI AIRPORT AT 0200 AM ON DECEMBER 27TH AND WAS MET BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE AIRPORT OPERATIONS MANAGER. THE SCENE WAS INITIALLY EVALUATED AND IT WAS AGREED TO RESUME AT DAYBREAK. RETURNED AT 0650 AND CONDUCTED THE INVESTIGATION AS FOLLOWS.FLIGHT HISTORY:

AIRCRAFT N281MC A GENE MCKAY RV-9A SERIAL NUMBER 91117 WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 22 AT KSSI LOST CONTROL IN GUSTY CONDITIONS AND CRASHED. THE PIC,^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^AND THE AIRCRAFT OWNER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES AND CLEARED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS POST CRASH FIRE BEGAN TO ENGULF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT APPROXIMATELY 1800 LOCAL AND THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AFTER THE CENTER SECTION WAS CONSUMED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM BAY MINETTE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN ALABAMA AND HAD FLOWN 2 HOURS AND 7 MINUTES. ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT IN COMMAND ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AS HE APPROACHED FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 22 THE WIND WERE ADVISED AS 270 DEGREES AT 13 WITH GUSTS TO 23-27 KNOTS. A PREVIOUS ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO LAND ON RUNWAY 34 AND IT WAS DECIDED TO LAND ON 22 AS IT WAS MORE FAVORABLE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON TRACK AND THE SPEED WAS 90 KNOTS WITH APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES OF FLAPS. ON SHORT FINAL THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED DOWN QUICKLY IN A VERY STRONG GUST OF WIND. THE PIC APPLIED FULL POWER TO PULL OUT OF THE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE HOWEVER THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE PAVEMENT NOSE FIRST APPROXIMATELY 83 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 22. THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT CONFIRMS THE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND DEBRIS SUGGESTS THAT THE NOSE WHEEL STRUT BROKE OFF AND GOUGED THE PAVEMENT. THE NOSE WHEEL FAIRING CONSTRUCTED OF FIBERGLASS, DISINTEGRATED FROM THE FIBERGLASS CLOTH ON IMPACT. SEVERAL PROPELLER MARKS WERE OBSERVED CONSISTENT WITH THE STATED POWER APPLICATION. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED AN ADDITIONAL 326 FEET FROM THE CENTERLINE ON AN ARC THEN CAME TO REST 21 FEET FROM THE LEFT EDGE OF RUNWAY 22 HEADING 147 DEGREES (N31.155125? W81.390901?) AND BURST INTO FLAMES UNTIL EXTINGUISHED BY FIRST RESPONDERS. THE AIRCRAFT:

N281MC A GENE MCKAY RV-9A WAS BEING OPERATED AS AN EXPERIMENTAL OPERATING AS AN AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT WITH A TOTAL TIME OF APPROXIMATELY 511 HOURS ACCORDING TO THE OWNER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRCRAFT AND SPAS STILL SHOWS THE PREVIOUS OWNER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^THE LAST CONDITION INSPECTION WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON MARCH 26, 2012 AT 475.6 HOURS.THE PHASE 1 COMPLETION WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON MARCH 26, 2006 AT 42.9 HOURS.PILOT IN COMMAND DETAILS:PIC, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^HOLDS A COMMERCIAL PILOT?S LICENSE WITH AN INSTRUMENT RATING AND HAS APPROXIMATELY 2050 HOURS TOTAL TIME. HE STATED THAT HE HAS 10 HOUR IN THIS AIRCRAFT AND HAS FLOWN 20 HOURS IN THE LAST 90 DAYS AND APPROXIMATELY 105 HOURS IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS. HIS LAST MEDICAL DATE WAS 02/03/2012. THE LAST REGULATORY CHECK RIDE WAS 12/16/2012 IN THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT.INVESTIGATION: ALL ACTIVITIES WERE COORDINATED WITH NTSB REPRESENTATIVE LUKE SCHIADA.

THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEADING 147 DEGREES AND LOCATED 21 FEET FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 22 AT KSSI. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE IS AS FOLLOWS.

THE NOSE SECTION AND POWERPLANT HAD FIRE DAMAGE AND SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE WALL AFT TO THE TAIL SECTION INCLUDING THE WING ROOT AREAS. THE PROPELLER HAD CHORD-WISE MARKING CONSISTENT WITH OPERATION AT HIGH POWER SETTING AND BLADE TWISTING FROM TORQUE. THE TIPS WERE BENT FORWARD AND REARWARD WITH CHORD-WISE GOUGING FROM THE PAVEMENT.

THE LEFT WING WAS PARTIALLY CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE INTEGRITY OF THE LEFT AILERON WAS VERIFIED TO THE LEFT IN BOARD WING ROOT WHERE THE CONTROL TUBE MELTED FROM HEAT. THE CONTROL STICKS REMAINED INTACT HOWEVER, THE TUBES MELTED TO THE LEFT AILERON. THE RIGHT WING REMAINED MOSTLY INTACT AND THE CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED TO THE RIGHT AILERON FROM FROM THE CONTROL STICK. TAIL NML