ERA14FA153

The pilot of the experimental, amateur-built airplane had completed three takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern before the accident. One witness stated that, after turning to the final leg of the traffic pattern, the airplane entered an estimated 90-degree left bank and spiraled nose down toward the ground. Another witness reported hearing the airplane and, when she looked up, the airplane was "wobbling" back and forth before it made a descending left turn toward the ground. A review of the weather conditions on the day and time of the accident revealed gusting winds with turbulence mixing to the surface. Postcrash examination of the airplane, engine, and systems revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. The bank and nose-down attitude after the turn are consistent with the pilot failing to maintain airspeed and angle of attack, which led to an aerodynamic stall from which he was unable to recover at low altitude.

The two seat, high wing, tricycle-gear, experimental amateur-built airplane was manufactured in 1998 and issued an experimental airworthiness certificate on November 18, 2013. It was powered by a Rotax 912-UL 81 hp engine and equipped with a composite, 3-bladed propeller. Review of maintenance logbook records showed a conditional inspection was completed July 12, 2013, at 398.4 total aircraft hours. On March 11, 2014, about 1408 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Waters Avid Bandit, N62PT, was destroyed after impacting the ground during approach to land at Washington County Airport (AFJ) Washington, Pennsylvania. The sole occupant, a private pilot, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed about 1340. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to two witnesses who worked at the airport, the airplane turned from a left base to final approach for runway 27 at AFJ. While on final approach, the airplane entered an approximate 90-degree left bank, followed by a continuous, spiraling, descending left turn towards the ground. The witnesses did not observe the airplane impact terrain. Another witness, who lived about one-half nautical mile from and perpendicular to the approach end of runway 27 at AFJ, stated that she was outside cleaning her windows when she heard the accident airplane. She turned to see the airplane "wobbling" from side to side and then described a hard left, descending turn with the airplane's nose pointing towards the ground. She did not see the airplane impact terrain but heard a "muffled" sound that she thought was a crash. She also stated that in the six years that she has lived at the residence, the accident plane was much lower than any other plane that she had observed in the traffic pattern at AFJ. The Allegheny County Medical Examiner performed an autopsy on the remains of the pilot. Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The drugs and quantities detected were consistent with those administered by first responders after the accident. The AFJ 1415 recorded weather observation reported winds from 220 at 7 knots, gusting to 17 knots, clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 18 degrees Celsius, dew point 6 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.68 inches of mercury. The AFJ 1355 recorded weather observation reported winds from 240 at 8 knots, gusting to 14 knots, clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, temperature 18 degrees Celsius, dew point 6 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 29.69 inches of mercury. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single engine land and instrument airplane. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot was issued a third class medical certificateon May 30, 2012. He reported 200 total hours of flight experience on that date, and zero hours of experience in the six months prior to that date. Review of the pilot's personal logbook revealed that, as of October 21, 2013, the pilot had accumulated 243.6 total hours of flight experience, 36.1 hours of which were in the accident airplane. A NTSB meteorologist conducted an evaluation of the weather conditions at the time and location of the accident site. An upper air sounding around 0800 showed possible low-level wind shear and clear air turbulence near the ground. Surface wind was 4 knots, and at 900 feet, the wind was from 260 at 18 knots. Given the surface observations and time at the accident site it is likely that the 20-knot winds at 500 to 1,000 feet above ground level were mixing down to the surface. The airplane came to rest on a heading of 060 degrees magnetic about 210 feet short of the approach end of runway 27, and was about 370 feet south of runway 27 center line. The propeller spinner was crushed and covered in mud. All three propeller blades exhibited varying degrees of impact damage and chordwise scratching. The propeller gearbox was fractured at the fuel pump attachment point, exposing the propeller gears and the engine crankshaft flange. The engine was resting on the ground with the cowling fractured and destroyed. The number one and four engine cylinders were buried in about 3 inches of mud. Two engine mount support tubes were fractured consistent with compression overload. The sump was detached and the oil dipstick was not found. The engine was examined by the manufacturer under the supervision of an FAA inspector on April 9, 2014. The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller flange, and continuity was confirmed through the powertrain, valvetrain, to the accessory section. Compression was confirmed on all cylinders using the thumb method. Examination of the propeller gearbox revealed rotational scoring on the case adjacent to the propeller-driven gear. The rotational scoring and the joint throttle positions on the dual carburetor setup were consistent with a low power setting at ground contact. The cockpit and engine section were crushed downward about 20 degrees and to the right of airplane centerline about 15 degrees. The cockpit canopy was fragmented and destroyed. The engine firewall was crushed and pushed aft into the crew seats. The instrument panel was crushed and fragmented. The carburetor control was full forward. Both carburetor heat controls were full forward. The fuel selector switch was selected to the "ON" position. The pilot and copilot seats were disconnected from their attachment points. The pilot's restraint harness was intact and unremarkable. Control continuity from the cockpit flight controls to all surfaces was verified by visual inspection. The left and right wings rotated 90 degrees horizontally to the left. The left wing was breached and destroyed. The right wing was breached and the flaperon wasdetached from the wing surface and still connected to the control tube. The left wing fuselage support struts were fractured due to overload. The right wing fuselage support struts were lying across the cockpit, bent, and still connected to the fuselage. Both wing fuel tanks were void of fuel and it was reported by rescue personnel that both wings leaked about 10 gallons of a liquid similar to the odor and color of automotive gasoline. The left main landing gear was crushed aft with buckling to the fuselage attachment point. The right main landing gear was bent aft at the fuselage attachment point with buckling to the fuselage. The rear fuselage and empennage were unremarkable. The tail wheel was bent outward to the right.