CEN14LA205

After completing the assembly of the unregistered airplane, the pilot made a high-speed taxi on the grass strip and the airplane veered off the runway. He taxied back to attempt a takeoff and, after takeoff, the airplane made a steep right. The airplane continued the flight, and the left wing collided with a tree. The pilot was ejected from the cockpit, and the airplane continued into a pond. The airplane did not contain a seatbelt. Continuity of the flight controls was confirmed, and no anomalies were noted with the engine or systems during postaccident examination. Weather in the area included a gusting wind up to 20 knots.

According to marketing information from the Quicksilver Aircraft website, the GT400 is described as an ultralight. The airplane is built from a kit, with a single seat, high wing, and tricycle landing gear. It can be equipped with either a 47 horsepower Rotax R447 or a 50 horsepower Rotax R503 engine. The airplane has a removable 5 gallon fuel tank. With the R503 engine, the airplane's empty weight would have been about 316 pounds. The manufacturer's information also notes that the pilot is responsible for operating the aircraft in accordance with the applicable Federal and State regulations. The airplanes logbooks were unavailable during the investigation so the extent of the maintenance performed, complete airplane configuration and performance information could not be confirmed. There was no record of the airplane being registered with the FAA or having been issued an airworthiness certificate. FAA regulation Part 103 describes an ultralight as having a single occupant, empty weight of 254 pounds or less, fuel capacity not exceeding 5 gallons, not capable of exceeding 55 knots and a stall speed less than 24 knots. On April 18, 2014, about 1345 central daylight time, an unregistered Quicksilver GT400 airplane, collided with a tree and impacted water after takeoff from a private grass strip near Hillsboro, Kansas. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was fatally injured. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The airplane was owned and operated by a private individual under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was destined for Alfred Schroeder Field Airport (M66), Hillsboro, Kansas. According to the responding Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane had undergone extensive maintenance and the pilot assembled portions of the airplane prior to departure. After the airplane was fully assembled, the pilot attempted to start the engine. When the engine did not start, he poured fuel into a cylinder from the spark plug opening and the engine started. The pilot taxied onto the grass strip and made one high speed taxi and veered off the runway. He returned to the beginning of the runway and departed. After takeoff, the airplane made a steep right turn to the north and climbed to about 100 feet above the ground. The airplane continued north and the left wing collided with a tree. The pilot was ejected from the cockpit and the airplane continued into the pond next to the tree. An acquaintance reportedly suggested that the pilot should trailer the airplane to the airport. The pilot stated he "had to fly it to the airport" and continued to assemble the airplane. The intended airport, M66, was 1.5 miles away. The acquaintance witnessed the accident. An autopsy was performed on the pilot at the Frontier Midwest Morgue, Kansas City,Kansas, on April 19, 2014. The cause of death was blunt traumatic injuries. The FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute completed a Final Forensic Toxicology Fatal Accident Report which revealed no tested for drugs detected. At 1355, the automated weather observation at Newton City Airport (KEWK), Newton, Kansas, which was 15 miles south-southwest of the accident site, reported: wind from 170 degrees at 11 knots gusting to 18 knots, 10 miles visibility, a clear sky, temperature 66° Fahrenheit (F), dew point 43° F, and altimeter setting 30.24 inches of mercury. According to the FAA, witnesses reported weather in the area as gusting wind from 15-20 knots and a clear sky. The pilot, age 69, held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for single engine land, multi-engine land and instrument airplane. On November 30, 1998, he was issued a third class special restriction medical certificate with the limitations that it was not valid for night flying or by color signal control. On the medical certificate application he reported that his flight experience included 20 total hours and 0 hours in the past 6 months. On prior applications he reported 4,500 flight hours in 1991 and 1992, 30 flight hours in 1994, and 40 flight hours in 1995. The pilot's logbooks and records were not available during the investigation; therefore his total flight experienced could not be determined. The wooden propeller was shattered and splintered near the wreckage area. The FAA inspector confirmed continuity of the flight controls. The engine components were continuous from the front to the back when the propeller was rotated by hand. The airplane did not contain a seatbelt.