ERA22LA301

The pilot was attempting a soft-field takeoff in his light-sport airplane. A review of surveillance video revealed that, as the airplane began its initial climb, the pitch angle increased, and the airplane entered a steep left bank turn. The airplane turned left about 180° and descended behind trees. The airplane collided with a hangar and terrain before it came to rest in the driveway of a residence. The engine sounded normal from the beginning of the takeoff roll until impact. Postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Review of postaccident medical records, including the autopsy data and toxicology reports, revealed no obvious medical issues that would have contributed to the accident. As such, the reason for the pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane on takeoff was not determined.

On July 8, 2022, at 1305 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Kolb Firestar II airplane, N6136Y, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cleveland, Georgia. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot/owner held a sport pilot certificate and the airplane was based at the Mountain Airpark (OGE5), Cleveland, Georgia. A review of airpark surveillance video showed the airplane taking off on the grass runway and, as it began its initial climb, the pitch angle increased, and the airplane entered a steep left bank turn. The airplane turned left about 180° and descended behind trees. The airplane collided with a hangar then terrain before it came to rest in the driveway of a residence. The engine sounded normal from the beginning of the takeoff roll until impact. There was no post-impact fire. The airplane was constructed of mostly tube and fabric, and it sustained extensive damage from impact. The cockpit area was crushed. Both wings remained attached to the fuselage but were pushed aft with extensive leading-edge damage. The tail section exhibited minor damage. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and reported that flight control continuity for the left wing and tail section were established; however, the right aileron was fractured. A section of the right aileron push/pull tube separated from the airplane and was located in the grass near the wreckage. The section of fractured aileron tube was retained and further examined by the National Transportation Safety Board Investigator-in-Charge. Visual examination of the fractured ends of the tube were consistent with overload. The engine sustained impact damage. Compression was achieved on each cylinder when the engine crankshaft was rotated. The fuel, ignition, cooling, and lubrication systems were also examined and no anomalies were observed. The two-bladed propeller remained secured to the engine and both blades exhibited leading edge damage. One of the blades was twisted in its hub due to impact. A postaccident examination of the airframe, engine, and propeller revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The 79-year-old pilot did not have an FAA medical certificate. He was flying a Light Sport Aircraft, and as such, was medically eligible to fly as a light sport pilot with a valid driver’s license. A review of his pilot logbook revealed the last entry was made on April 8, 2022. At that time, he had logged a total of 245.5 flight hours, of which 17.2 hours were in the accident airplane. Before the date of the last log entry, the last time the pilot flew the accident airplane was in February 2022. According to the autopsy report from the Division of Forensic Sciences, Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Decatur, Georgia, the pilot’s cause of death was multipleblunt force injuries, and the manner of death was an accident. Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory screened negative for drugs of abuse in the pilot’s hospital admission serum sample. Ketamine was detected in the pilot’s cavity blood and urine; its metabolite norketamine was also detected in his cavity blood and urine. Cetirizine, amitriptyline, and its metabolite nortriptyline were detected in the pilot’s urine, but not in his cavity blood. The high blood pressure medications diltiazem and propranolol, the gastric reflux medication famotidine, and the topical anesthetic pramoxine were detected in the pilot’s cavity blood and urine; these four medications are generally considered non-impairing. Hospital records document the administration of ketamine, diltiazem, propranolol, and famotidine. Thus, these drugs were postaccident findings. The hospital records did not show that the potentially impairing medications amitriptyline or cetirizine were administered at the hospital. The pilot’s wife denied any medication use by the pilot. Amitriptyline is an antidepressant that is also used for chronic nerve pain; it is available by prescription. Amitriptyline has a long half-life—30 to 50 hours. Since this medication was not found in either the pilot’s serum or cavity blood and only trace amounts of amitriptyline and its metabolite nortriptyline were in his urine, the source of the amitriptyline was most likely from blood transfusions received postaccident.