ERA14LA423

The commercial pilot had purchased the experimental, amateur-built amphibious airplane about 6 months before the accident and was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings on a reservoir. A witness reported observing the airplane departing from the water and flying overhead before losing sight of it behind trees. She added that the airplane then sounded as if it was approaching for another landing when she heard a series of engine "sputters and roars," followed by silence. The airplane was subsequently located nose down submerged in water. The pilot was in the interior of the empennage, and he had drowned. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Autopsy findings indicated that the pilot likely had longstanding hypertension and significant coronary artery disease, and toxicology testing detected enalapril, a blood pressure medication, in his urine; however, it is unlikely that his medical conditions or the medication he was taking to treat them contributed to the accident. Further, the pilot was able to attempt to extricate himself from the wreckage, which indicated that he was alive and at least somewhat functional after the crash. This eliminates the possibility that sudden cardiac death or unconsciousness caused the loss of control. Although lesser cardiac symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath might be distracting, there is no evidence that such symptoms occurred. Given the evidence, it is likely that the pilot lost control of the amphibious airplane while practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings, which resulted in its impact with water.

On September 4, 2014, about 1105 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built amphibious McMurray Searey seaplane, N8768B, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged while landing on the Stillwater Reservoir, Webb, New York. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the flight that originated at the Boonville Airport, Boonville, New York. The personal flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to records obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane was purchased by the pilot through a corporation on March 3, 2014. The airplane was equipped with a Rotax 912 ULS, 100-horsepower engine and originally issued an airworthiness certificate on July 1, 1997. According to information obtained from an FAA inspector, the pilot was practicing touch-and-go takeoffs and landings on the reservoir. A witness observed the airplane departing from the water and flying overhead before losing sight of it behind trees. The witness stated that the airplane sounded as if it was approaching for another landing and she heard a series of engine "sputters and roars" followed by silence; however, she did not associate the sounds with an airplane accident. The airplane was subsequently located nose down, submerged in the water, with the pilot, located in the interior of the empennage. The canopy was completely fractured and the airframe around the forward portion of the canopy was substantially damaged. Examination of the airframe and engine, which included confirming flight control continuity to all control surfaces, and a successful postaccident engine operational test run by an FAA inspector, did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions, which would have precluded normal operation. The airplane was equipped with lap belts, and was not equipped with shoulder harnesses. The pilot, age 77, held a commercial pilot certificate, with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, single-engine sea, and instrument airplane. He also held a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine, and instrument airplane. The pilot reported 3,100 hours of total flight experience, with 48 hours flown during the previous 6 months on his most recent application for an FAA second class medical certificate, which was dated July 3, 2014. The pilot's logbook was damaged due to water immersion; however, examination of the logbook by an FAA inspector determined that he had accumulated approximately 11 hours in the airplane since it was purchased. The airframe logbooks were not recovered and the airplane's last condition inspection could not be verified; however, it was noted that the airplane had been issued a new FAA Airworthiness Certificate on August 5, 2013, which would have required a condition inspection. Review of maintenance information provided by thepilot's family indicated that at the time of the accident, the airplane had been operated for about 300 total hours. In addition, the last engine maintenance was an oil and filter, and air filter change, which were performed on November 20, 2013, about 65 hours prior to the accident. An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Herkimer County Coroner's Office, District No. 1, Old Forge, New York. According to the autopsy report, the cause of death was warm water drowning and the manner of death was accident. The heart weighed 450 grams. The left ventricle was described as normal sized but hypertrophied. The left ventricle measured 2.0 centimeters (cm) thick and the right ventricle measured 0.6 cm thick. In addition, coronary artery disease was identified with 60 percent stenosis in both the left main and left anterior descending arteries and 20 percent stenosis in the right and circumflex coronary arteries. However, the heart muscle was free of scar or other focal findings. Toxicological testing performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, identified enalapril in urine, but not in blood. No other tested-for substances were identified. The pilot reported a diagnosis of hypertension with the use of omeprazole and enalapril during his most recent FAA medical examination. A weather observation taken at an airport that was located about 50 miles south-southwest of the accident site, at 1053, reported winds from 140 degrees at 5 knots; visibility 10 statute miles; clear skies; temperature 23 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 18 degrees C; altimeter 30.15 inches of mercury.