ERA24FA221

The airplane had been assembled from a kit in 2011 and was powered by a Rotax reciprocating engine driving an Aerolux three-blade ground adjustable composite propeller. The engine rotated the pusher propeller clockwise, as seen from the rear of the airplane. The current owner had purchased the airplane in December 2019. Review of the aircraft logbook revealed that the most recent annual condition inspection had been completed on May 8, 2024. At that time, the engine had accrued 29.4 hours of operation, and the airframe total time was unknown. On May 20, 2024, about 0842 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Quicksilver Sport 2S, N960B, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Cleveland, Georgia. The sport pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 test flight. According to the owner of the airplane, he transported it via ground to the sport pilot/light sport aircraft repairman’s facility at Mountain Airpark (0GE5), Cleveland, Georgia. The sport pilot/repairman performed maintenance, which included replacing the fabric, replacing a throttle cable, and performing a condition inspection. The accident flight was a post maintenance test flight. Although the sport pilot owned a Zenith CH 701, he had never flown the make and model accident airplane. The owner added that due to the short tail, the accident airplane lacked rudder effectiveness at slow airspeed and was subject to left turning tendencies (p-factor). Review of airport security video revealed that the sport pilot attempted to take off on the north runway. Immediately after liftoff, the airplane turned left about 90°. The engine noise decreased, and the airplane appeared to momentarily come under control; however, it was flying toward the front of a hangar. The engine nose increased again, and the airplane cleared the hangar, but as it climbed in a left turn it abruptly descended behind the hangar and impacted the ground. After viewing the video, the airplane owner further stated that it appeared the sport pilot rotated too early and over-rotated, resulting in the loss of control to the left. An autopsy was conducted on the pilot by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Department of Forensic Sciences, Office of the Medical Examiner, Decatur, Georgia. The cause of death was “Generalized Blunt Force Trauma.” Toxicological testing of the pilot’s specimens was conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration Office of Forensic Sciences, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were positive for: Omerprazole and Famotidine (over-the-counter medications for gastric reflux); Atenolol, Chlorothiazide, Losartan, and Terazosin (medications for high blood pressure); Rosuvastatin (medication for high cholesterol), and Salicylic Acid (medication for pain/inflammation). None of the medications detected are considered impairing. Review of the sport pilot’s logbook revealed that he had accumulated about 900 hoursof flight time; however, there was no record of any experience in the accident airplane make and model. The airplane came to rest upright in a nose-up attitude and oriented toward the east in a grass area behind the hangar. The entirety of the airplane was accounted for at the accident site, and no debris path was observed. The empennage remained intact and was canted left. The elevator remained attached and was deflected upward. Elevator control continuity was confirmed via crushed push-pull tubes to the cockpit. The elevator trim tab remained attached to the right elevator and was in an about neutral position. Continuity of the elevator trim cable was confirmed to the cockpit. The rudder remained attached and was deflected left. The left rudder cable remained attached from the rudder to the left rudder pedal. The right rudder cable separated near the right rudder pedal and one cable end exhibited broomstraw features. Metallurgical examination revealed features of overstress and no evidence of fatigue on both cable ends. The wings remained attached, and the left wing outboard leading edge exhibited impact damage. Both ailerons remained attached to their respective wing and control cable continuity was confirmed from the ailerons to the cockpit control stick. The cockpit was crushed, but the pilot’s four-point harness remained intact. A Grand Rapids Technology Engine Information System 2000 was retained for data download; however, the display screen was blank when powered on. A plastic fuel tank was mounted above the cockpit. It remained intact with its fuel cap secured and contained about ¼-tank of automotive gasoline. When the propeller was moved by hand, continuity of the powertrain was confirmed throughout the engine. All three propeller blades remained attached to the hub. Two blades were undamaged, and one was separated near the root, consistent with contact with the crushed tubular frame.