ATL99LA083

The purpose of the flight was to demonstrate a high speed, low altitude pass over the runway. During climb out the airplane entered a nose-up attitude followed by a nose-down attitude. A witness reported that the airplane entered a counter clockwise spin, and collided with the ground in a wooded area. A tree in the immediate vicinity of the impact point was damaged. A witness also reported that the engine continued to run at a high RPM rate throughout the sequence of flight events. Examination of the accident site disclosed the airplane rested in a nose down attitude at the base of a large tree. Examination of the airframe confirmed that flight control cables and control surfaces were connected. Examination of the airframe and engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or a component failure.

On May 11, 1999, at 1000 central daylight time, a Campbell Lancair 320, N6111, collided with a tree and the ground during climb out from the Reeves Airport in Tallessee, Alabama. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The commercial pilot was fatally injured, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local flight departed Tallessee, Alabama, at 0959.

According to a friend of the pilot, who was located at the Reeves Airport at the time of the accident, the purpose of the flight was to demonstrate a high speed, low pass over the runway. The pilot's friend reported that, during climb out there was a short radio conversation with the pilot followed by an abrupt end to the conversation. At this point, the airplane entered a nose-up attitude followed by a nose-down attitude. Another witness reported that the airplane entered a counter clockwise spin. The airplane collided with the ground and was located in a wooded area with the nose section still in a nose-down attitude. A tree in the immediate vicinity of the impact point was damaged. A witness also reported that the engine continued to run at a high RPM rate throughout the sequence of flight events.

Examination of the accident site disclosed the airplane rested in a nose down attitude at the base of a large tree. There were several fresh slash marks several feet above the ground. Wreckage debris was scattered in the immediate vicinity of the main wreckage. The engine assembly was buried in the ground several inches, and the instrument panel was displaced aft into the pilot's station. Further examination of the airframe confirmed that flight control cables and control surfaces were connected. The engine assembly sustained extensive impact damage. Examination of the airframe and engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or a component failure.

A post mortem examination was performed on the pilot on May 11, 1999, at Alabama Department of Forensic Science in Montgomery, Alabama. A review of the toxicological examination disclosed that 0.014 (ug/ml, ug/g) of diphenhydramine (antihistamines) was detected in the blood; an unspecified quantity of diphenhydramine was detected in the urine sample.