20170206005479A

On 02/06/2017 at approximately 1615 eastern time, a 2010 Shell John, Super Six experimental exhibition aircraft, N426KS, was destroyed during collision with trees and post impact fire during a forced landing after takeoff from runway 27 at silver creek airport, Morganton, north carolina. The private pilot received serious injury.

Witness on the ground described the engine sound as sputtering prior to contact with the trees.

The aircraft was an amateur built aircraft, certified experimental exhibition powered by a pratt and whitney R1830-92. The aircraft had accumulated approximately 85 hours of total flight time. The last condition inspection had been accomplished on 04-06-2016 at 77.6 actt.

An interview with the pilot and the pilot?s family revealed the pilot had accumulated approximately 5,500 total hours, of which approximately 7 hours were in the accident airplane. He accrued approximately 50 total hours of flight experience in the year previous to the accident, of which 0 hours were in the accident airplane. The pilot held a current 3rd class medical and his last bi-annual flight review had been conducted in February 2016.

The pilot was interviewed on February 24th and he provided the following information; he stated that he would occasionally run the aircraft but would not fly it. The pilot stated on the day of the accident that he decided to take the aircraft around the pattern one time. He also stated that he conducted a preflight inspection which included ?sticking? The fuel tanks to ensure that he had enough fuel to conduct the short flight. The pilot said that he remembers conducting a normal run up prior to the departure roll, and that he remembers rolling down runway 27 and rotating but does not remember anything after that until he woke up in the ambulance after the accident. He does not remember the engine running rough or quitting.

The main fuselage was located in a small wooded area approximately .75 of a mile from silver creek airport, laying on its left side in a direction of 310 degrees. The fuselage, left inboard and right wing had been consumed by post impact fire. The empennage had severe impact and some fire damage and was twisted 90 degrees from main area of fuselage. The engine remained attached to the airframe and had severe fire and impact damage. The reduction gear box and propeller had separated from the aircraft and was approximately 50 feet at 288 degrees from the wreckage. Outboard portion of the left wing was located approximately 25 feet up in a tree aft of the main wreckage area. Airport elevation is listed at 1020 ft MSL and the aircraft came to rest at 1120 ft MSL

Examination of the engine showed that the rgb had separated at the mounting flange. Mounting studs showed signs of damage from retaining nuts being stripped as the rgb departed. Examination of the rgb showed that the planetary gears rotated freely and there was no indication of fretting around any of the bolt holes. The o?ring for the rgb mount was located and had a uniform appearance around the circumference

The inboard section of the left wing, to include MLG, was located under the fuselage and under a portion of the right wing. The metal fuel tank had been punctured but the fuel sump contained a small amount of liquid that had the smell and color of 100LL aviation fuel.

Right wing had severe impact damage to the leading edge and the imboard portion was destroyed by fire. There was a small tree that penetrated through the bottom of the wing.

The pilot?s son, who had approximately 75 hours flight time in the accident aircraft stated that the fuel burn for this aircraft was approximately 50 gallons per hour in cruise and 120 gallons per hour during takeoff. He also stated that the aircraft fuel boost pump needed to be on during takeoff.