CEN15LA063

The noncertificated pilot was taking off from the airport. A witness reported that, immediately after the airplane became airborne, it began flying erratically and that he then heard the pilot make a radio call, during which the pilot stated that he was aborting the takeoff because the cockpit canopy had opened. The airplane descended and struck a vehicle on a highway near the south end of the airport. The airplane then impacted trees and terrain and came to rest inverted. Emergency responders reported that the pilot told them that he had climbed the airplane to a maximum of 100 to 200 ft when the engine lost power. An on-scene examination revealed that the airplane was extensively fragmented; all of the airplane's major components were located at the accident site. Both fuel tanks were breached, which resulted in a fuel spill but no postimpact fire. The cockpit canopy frame was observed mostly intact and partially impact-separated. The inside canopy latch was observed latched and locked. Both propeller blades were separated near the propeller hub and did not exhibit evidence of significant power at impact. An engine examination revealed that there was excessive debris in the gascolator bowl and corrosion on the gasket mating surface; the gascolator housing exhibited excessive wear and had a rusty, rough surface. The excessive debris in the fuel system likely restricted the fuel flow to the engine and resulted in the subsequent total loss of engine power during takeoff.

On November 30, 2014, about 1248 central standard time, an experimental – amateur built Seigel, Long EZ, single-engine airplane, N7015T, was substantially damaged after impacting terrain following a loss of engine power during takeoff at McGregor Executive Airport (PWG), McGregor, Texas. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. Day visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. At the time of the accident the airplane was departing PWG and was destined for Teague Municipal Airport (68F), Teague, Texas. A witness at the airport reported that he saw the airplane climb to about 20 to 25 feet above ground level (agl) when it began flying erratically immediately after becoming airborne. He then heard a radio call from the pilot saying that he was aborting his take off because his cockpit canopy had opened. The southbound airplane descended and struck and damaged a vehicle traveling eastbound on the highway. The airplane then impacted trees and terrain and came to rest inverted. The occupants of the vehicle struck by the airplane were not injured. Several witnesses called 9-1-1 emergency and went to the wreckage location to provide aid to the injured pilot. Emergency responders reported that the pilot told them that he had climbed to a maximum of 100 to 200 feet when the engine lost power. The pilot added that he had a heavy right wing with more fuel in the right side than the left side. An on-scene examination of the wreckage showed all major components of the airplane were observed at the accident location, with all pieces of the fragmented wreckage located within a radius of about 50 feet. The right wing was completely separated and the right rudder and right aileron remained attached to the separated right wing. The left wing was partially separated at mid-span. The left side of the fuselage, forward of the instrument panel, including the left rudder pedal was completely separated. The entire nose gear assembly and nose gear attach fitting were separated. The fuel tanks in both wings were breached by impact damage, which resulted in a fuel spill at the accident scene, but there was no postimpact fire. Both propeller blades were impact separated near the propeller hub and did not show evidence of significant power at impact. The cockpit canopy frame was observed mostly intact and partially impact separated. The inside canopy latch was observed latched and locked. The Plexiglas in the canopy was impact fragmented and was almost completely missing from the cockpit canopy frame. The fuel pump circuit breaker was observed in the OFF position. The fuel tank selector was observed in the RIGHT position. An examination of the engine compartment showed more than one teaspoon of small debris was observed in gascolator bowl. An in-line fuel filter was not observed and aninternal gascolator filter was not observed. The non-transparent metal gascolator bowl showed corrosion on the gasket mating surface and the gascolator housing gasket showed excessive wear and a rusty rough surface. Aircraft maintenance logbooks and evidence at the scene showed that the airplane had been operated for about 34 hours since 2011, which included a total of 4.9 hours of operation in the previous year. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show that the pilot had never held an FAA pilot certificate or an FAA aviation medical certificate. At 1255 the automated weather observing system at PWG, located about 1 mile north from the accident location, reported wind from 190 degrees at 21 knots gusting to 27 knots, visibility of 10 miles, scattered clouds at 3,900 feet, scattered clouds at 4,900 feet, temperature 26 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 16 degrees C, with an altimeter setting of 30.00 inches of Mercury.