LAX00LA282

The amateur-built experimental airplane impacted trees and ignited in flames after it veered off the runway during a landing at a private airport. According to the passenger, who was seated in the left rear seat, the private pilot made a "perfect landing" on runway 15. The passenger could not remember the following accident sequence and added that he opened his eyes and the airplane was on the ground among trees and a ring of grass fire surrounded the aircraft. Photographs taken at the accident site displayed tire tread marks deviating from the runway environment leading to the wreckage area. Blade tips from the propeller were found along the accident energy path imbedded in dirt and tree limbs. The FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported noting no anomalies that would have prevented flight operations. A nearby weather observation facility reported the wind from 170 degrees at 8 knots.

On July 29, 2000, approximately 1947 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Express 90 single engine airplane, N540EX, impacted trees during landing at the Lake California private airport near Cottonwood, California. The aircraft was destroyed by a post accident fire and the private pilot and his two passengers received serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Carlsbad, California, approximately 30 minutes prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and a flight plan was not filed.

According to the passenger, who was seated in the left rear seat, the pilot made a "perfect landing" on runway 15, and the airplane was rolling down the runway toward the taxiway turnoff when it "suddenly went airborne." The pilot added power in an attempt to "stay airborne." The passenger could not remember the following accident sequence and added that he opened his eyes and the airplane was on the ground among trees and a ring of grass fire surrounded the aircraft. The passenger reported that the front-seat passenger opened the door and helped the pilot and the rear-seat passenger out of the aircraft. As the rear-seat passenger escaped, he noticed an area of flames near the pilot seat.

Photographs taken at the accident site displayed tire tread marks deviating from the runway environment leading to the wreckage area. The left outboard wing was found lying adjacent to a tree, where burned grass and tree bark were noted. Blade tips from the propeller were found along the accident energy path imbedded in dirt and tree limbs. The engine, it's cowling, and remaining propeller blades came to rest approximately 16 feet from the main wreckage area. The main wreckage came to rest approximately 275 feet to the east of the runway on a heading approximately opposite that of the lading direction. The entire composite fuselage was burned and melted, and only a section of the empennage remained intact. The instrument panel remained intact; however, it sustained extensive fire damage.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, who responded to the accident site, reported noting no anomalies that would have prevented flight operations.

At 1955, the Red Bluff Airport weather observation facility (located 12 miles south of the accident site) reported the wind from 170 degrees at 8 knots; clear skies; temperature 33 degrees Celsius; dew point 13 degrees Celsius; and an altimeter setting of 29.81 inches of mercury.

According to insurance application information (November 1999), the pilot had accumulated a total of 620 hours of flight time, of which 8 hours were accumulated in the same make and model as the accident airplane. The pilot built the airplane between 1993 and 1999, and the FAA issued Experimental Aircraft Operating Limitations and an Experimental Airworthiness Certificate on November 6, 1999. The pilot's flight logbook and the aircraft's maintenance records were located in the aircraft and were destroyed in the post accident fire. Because of the extent of the pilot's injuries, the NTSB was not able to obtain a statement from the pilot prior to this report's writing.