ERA09LA231

The experimental amateur-built airplane was on its third flight, which was the first flight for the pilot/owner. About 20 minutes after departure, the pilot reported to air traffic control (ATC) that he had smoke in the cockpit and was approximately 9 miles from the airport. Subsequently, the pilot notified ATC that he had a fire in the cockpit. No further communications were received from the pilot and the airplane descended into trees. The airplane structure, which was comprised of wood and foam/fiberglass, exhibited extensive fire damage and was consumed by both in-flight and postimpact fire. The two previous flights were conducted by another pilot, who reported after the second flight there had been a blue staining around the fuel valve for the 15-gallon header tank. The accident pilot had installed a cigarette lighter in the airplane about 1 week prior to the accident; however, it could not be determined where the lighter was installed or if the leaking fuel valve was repaired. Due to the extensive fire damage, the fire's ignition source was not located.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 4, 2009, about 1848 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Howard KR-2, N456CH, was destroyed by fire during an off-airport landing. The certificated private pilot was killed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight which departed from Valdosta Regional Airport (VLD), Valdosta, Georgia. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed VLD approximately 1825 and was required to remain with in 25 nautical miles of VLD until the airplane had flown at least a total of 40 hours of logged flight time. This limitation, along with others, had been issued for the Phase 1 flight testing under the Experimental Operating Limitations by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The pilot called the FAA Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) at VLD and reported that he had smoke coming into the cockpit and was about 9 miles from the airport. Subsequently, the pilot reported a fire in the cockpit and the ATCT received no further communication from the pilot. According to a pilot friend of the accident pilot, the accident flight was the third flight for this airplane and the first flight in the airplane for the accident pilot. The friend had helped the accident pilot install the engine into the accident airplane and also performed the first two flights in the accident airplane; the second of the two flights occurred on February 21, 2009. That flight was approximately 1.7 hours in duration and was flown in order to verify that all the oil temperatures, pressures and controls were "accurate and stable for an extended period of time." After that test flight, he noted two discrepancies. The first discrepancy involved the altimeter, which was locked up at 2,500 feet above mean sea level. The second discrepancy was that the fuel valve, located on the 15-gallon fuel header tank in front of the pilot had blue staining, which was the same color as 100LL aviation fuel. He further stated that the accident pilot had installed a communication radio and a cigarette lighter in the airplane about 1 week prior to the accident flight. The accident pilot had received between 10 and 15 hours of flight experience in a KR-2S. PERSONNEL INFORMATION According to FAA records, the pilot held a private pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. His most recent FAA third-class medical certificate was issued on May 20, 2008. A logbook belonging to the pilot was located at the hangar in which the airplane was stored. According to the logbook, the pilot had 252 total hours of flight experience. The last entry in the logbook was dated July 21, 2008, in which the pilot had flown 2.0 hours in a Cessna 172N and was also his most recent recorded flight review. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION According to FAA records, the accident airplane was manufactured in 2008 and was issued a special airworthiness certificateon August 8, 2008. The airplane was equipped with a GM Corvair, six-cylinder, 100-horsepower engine, and a Prince P-Tip wood and composite propeller. The aircraft maintenance logbooks were not located. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION The 1853 recorded weather observation at VLD located approximately 1.7 miles northeast of the accident site, included calm winds, clear skies, temperature 24 degrees C, dew point 9 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.95 inches of mercury. COMMUNICATIONS According to written statement from personnel at the VLD ATCT, the accident airplane requested taxi clearance for a VFR departure west to the practice area at 1825. According to the VLD ATCT transcript, the accident pilot contacted the VLD ATCT at 1844:46. At 1844:56 the accident pilot stated that he needed to make a landing immediately. "I got smoke coming into the cockpit and I am about 9 miles out." At 1847:50 the accident pilot stated "Valdosta tower I am going to need a fire truck I have a fire inside." At 1848:55 another airplane flying near the VLD airport reported "…a large puff of smoke on the ground southwest of the airport about a mile or so." WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION The airplane was examined by an FAA inspector who responded to the accident site. The airplane was located beneath a tree along a fence row, approximately 1.7 statute miles southwest of the airport. The airplane structure, which was comprised of wood and foam/fiberglass, exhibited extensive fire damage. The FAA reported that a small portion of the left wingtip was located in the adjacent tree and a wheel from one of the landing gear was located a few feet from the main wreckage. The airplane was consumed by both an in-flight and postimpact fire. The inspector was unable to confirm flight control continuity due to the extensive fire damage. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION According to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Medical Examiners Office, the cause of death was "… blunt force trauma." The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicological tests on specimens that were collected during the autopsy. The blood test revealed a level of 12 percent carbon monoxide. Results were negative for the remaining tests conducted.