ERA12LA584

The pilot added about 5 gallons of automotive gasoline to the aircraft fuel tank before departing on a local flight. Witnesses observed the amphibious airplane flying low, and the engine lost power. The airplane then struck power lines and crashed in an open field. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a pre-existing mechanical malfunction or failure. An aircraft recovery parachute was found partially deployed within the wreckage. An examination of the aircraft fuel lines revealed only a small amount of residual fuel. The fuel tank contained only residual fuel and was not breached.

The airplane was a single-engine, high-wing, amphibious airplane, serial number 1. It was powered by a Rotax 582 DCDI engine rated at 65 horsepower. The airframe and engine logbooks were not recovered following the accident. According to the manufacturer’s performance charts, the fuel consumption range was about 2.1 gallons per hour (at 3,000 rpm) to 6.1 gallons per hour (at 6,800 rpm). According to the aircraft weight and balance data, the aircraft fuel capacity was about 10 gallons. On September 30, 2012, about 1755 eastern daylight time, a Keuthan Buccaneer II, N710WP, was substantially damaged following a forced landing near Granite Quarry, North Carolina. The private pilot was fatally injured. The experimental, amateur-built, amphibious airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local flight originated at Rowan County Airport (RUQ), Salisbury, North Carolina, about 1655. A witness, who was also the pilot’s flight instructor, observed the pilot refuel the airplane with 5 gallons of automotive gasoline about one hour prior to the accident. Subsequently, other witnesses observed the engine lose power at low altitude. They observed or heard the airplane descend and crash in a rural field about 4 1/2 miles from RUQ. An autopsy was performed on the pilot at the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Chapel Hill, North Carolina. The autopsy report noted the cause of death as “blunt force trauma of the head and chest due to an ultra light plane crash.” Forensic toxicology testing was performed on specimens of the pilot by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory (CAMI), Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The CAMI toxicology report indicated no carbon monoxide, cyanide, ethanol, or drugs. The 1755 surface weather observation for RUQ included clear skies, wind calm, visibility 10 statute miles or greater, temperature 20 degrees C, dew point 12 degrees C, and altimeter 29.87 inches of mercury. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, airplane multiengine land, and airplane single-engine sea. He reported a total flight experience of 500 hours on his latest airman certificate application for his airplane single-engine sea rating, dated August 18, 2012. At that time he reported 445 hours as pilot-in-command. The pilot’s personal logbook was not located following the accident. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors responded to the accident site and examined the wreckage. The airplane crashed at the edge of an open field, about 4 1/2 miles from RUQ. The accident site coordinates were 35 37.05N, 080 26.63W. Evidence of electrical arcing was observed on the left wing leading edge. Power lines located about 20 yards from the main wreckage showed evidence of impact damage. The inspectorconfirmed substantial damage to the airframe. Flight control continuity was established from the cockpit controls to the ailerons, elevator, and rudder. The airplane was equipped with a recovery parachute and showed evidence of partial deployment. The plastic main fuel tank contained only residual fuel and was not damaged or leaking. Air bubbles were observed in the plastic fuel line from the fuel tank to the engine. There was no fuel in the line to the engine carburetors. A lack of fuel in the fuel line prevented the inspector from obtaining a fuel sample. There was no evidence of leaking fuel around wreckage. The engine propeller remained attached to the crankshaft flange. The blades showed no evidence of rotational damage or tip curling. The engine turned freely by hand and internal continuity was confirmed.