NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On January 31, 2003, about 0745, eastern standard time, an Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH EA300/L, N33KL, registered to and operated by a private individual, as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, crashed in the Picayune Strand State Forest, in southeastern Collier County, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed, and the two occupants, a private-rated pilot, and an airline transport- rated passenger, received fatal injuries. The flight originated at Wing South Airpark, Naples, Florida, the same day, about 0730.

A witness who was in the state forest at the time, said that he had noticed the accident airplane performing aerobatic maneuvers. After performing some aerobatics it approached his position from the north, in level flight, above the trees, on a course such that it would bypass his position slightly to the west. He said that as the airplane approached, the engine noise grew louder, and disrupted his activities, so he ceased what he was doing, and observed the airplane as it passed by. He said he saw the airplane perform a slight roll to both sides, followed by a larger roll to each side, and further stated that each rolling maneuver appeared to be deliberate, and not to be unusual. As the airplane bypassed his position, he said he lost sight of it due to the trees that he was standing among, and a short time thereafter he heard a loud bang, and the airplane's engine noise ceased, followed by complete silence. He reported hearing the engine and that there were no indications of engine problems having occurred. The sheriff's office was notified and a helicopter was deployed and found the wreckage of the airplane.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

Records obtained from the FAA showed that the pilot-in-command held an FAA private pilot certificate, with airplane single engine land and sea ratings, issued on May 15, 2002. She also held an FAA third class medical certificate, issued on December 11, 2002, with the medical restriction of having to wear corrective lenses for near and distant vision. The pilot's personal flight log was not located by the NTSB, but at the time of her last medical examination she reported having acquired 1100 hours of flight experience, 50 of which had been in the previous 6 months.

According to medical examiner's report, the pilot rated-passenger was located in the front of the airplane. FAA records also showed that the passenger held an FAA airline transport pilot certificate, with an airplane multiengine land rating, and a commercial pilot certificate with single engine land and instrument airplane ratings. He also held a flight instructor certificate with single engine land and instrument ratings. He also held FAA type ratings in the DC 8, DC 10, L-188, B-727, and B-747. The passenger's personal flight logbook was not obtained by the NTSB, but at the time of his application for his medical certificate, he reported having accumulated over 20,000 hours of flight time. He also held an FAA third class medical certificate, with the medical limitation that he must wear corrective lenses, issued on June 12, 2002.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The accident airplane is a 1997 Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH, model EA-300/L acrobatic airplane, serial number 055, FAA registration N33KL. Records showed that the pilot acquired the airplane on September 17, 2002. It had been given an annual inspection in February, 2, 2002, at an accumulated time of 643 flight hours on the airframe and engine, and it had been given a pre-purchase inspection by Southern Aerobatics, Inc., Boynton Beach, Florida, on June 14, 2002. At the time of purchase the airplane had accumulated about 645 flight hours on the recording tachometer. The aircraft is equipped with a Textron Lycoming AEIO-540 SER, 260 horsepower engine, and its serial number was L-26177-48A. The airplane was also equipped with a wooden and composite construction constant speed propeller, manufactured by Muhlbauer Tech.

The accident airplane was certificated in the experimental category, and was a two-seater and the rear seat was instrumented for the pilot in command. The pilot's operating handbook specified that wearing parachutes is mandatory while operating the airplane. The airplane also was outfitted with a placard, which specified that parachutes were required to be used in the airplane.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The Naples Municipal Airport, Naples, Florida, 0753, surface weather observation was, wind from 360 degrees at 4 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, sky clear, temperature 62 degrees F, dew point temperature 55 degrees F, altimeter setting 30.09 inHg. Naples, Florida is located 13 miles north west of the accident site.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane had impacted the ground in the Picayune Strand State Forest in an area consisting of many stumps and trees that had been devoid of branches and of vegetation, due to the area having flooded extensively. At the time of the accident the water had receded, and the accident site was dry.

The airplane had impacted nose-first, at a near vertical angle, next to a tree. It had scraped about the last 2 feet of the tree bark, and the impact resulted in about 8 feet in diameter, by 6 feet in depth crater in geographic position 26 degrees, 03 minutes, 51 seconds North latitude, 081degrees, 35 minutes 31 seconds West longitude. Other than the lower portion of the tree trunk that had been grazed, no other object had been stricken.

The airplane impact had fractured and disintegrated the airframe and it was progressively stacked in an accordion like fashion in the crater. The cockpit with all its gauges, radios, seats, etc. had been destroyed, and in the crater was a mix of disintegrated propeller, propeller hub, engine, fractured composite cowling/fuselage, empennage, oil, and fuel. There was a debris field consisting of smaller pieces of the airplane that had been thrown about 30 feet, on a heading of about 120 degrees, as the airplane had scraped the lower portion of the tree trunk as it impacted the ground.

The wings had separated and had incurred extensive damage, but they lay as if attached in their normal position, with their respective leading edges flush with the ground, as if the airplane had sank nose first to the level of the wings. The fuselage had disintegrated, and its pieces had been stacked in the crater. Heavy equipment was used to remove the pieces of the wreckage, and to unearth the engine, and search for the propeller/hub.

After recovery from the crater, the airplane pieces were staged, and the examination revealed evidence consistent with all sections of the airplane being either in the crater or in the immediate vicinity of the crater. Flight control system continuity was confirmed from the controls to the areas that had separated due to impact forces.

After removal of the airframe, heavy equipment was used to dig and recover the buried engine, and examination of the engine revealed that it had sustained severe impact damage on all sides. The crankcase was found to have fractured in several locations, to include the front, right, and bottom sides, consistent with impact forces. The oil sump was crushed and only residual oil remained within the engine. The oil suction screen and oil filter were found to be clean. The oil coolers and hoses were impact damaged as well as all fluid-carrying hoses and lines. The exhaust system and induction manifold were crushed. Crankshaft rotation was unachievable due to the severity of impact damage. The top spark plugs, valve covers, remaining accessories, accessory case, top end components, and cylinders were removed, and the partially disassembled engine was then examined with a lighted borescope. The examination did not reveal any preaccident anomalies with the crankshaft, camshaft, valve train, and cylinders.

A large quantity of fuel was within the crater, and about 6 gallons of fuel was removed from the header tank when the engine was removed. Accessories had detached as a result of the impact. The fuel injector servo had separated from the engine and sustained heavy damage, and when examined the inlet screen was clean and contained fuel. The fuel pump was examined and its drive shaft was intact, and the unit rotated freely. The fuel flow divider was located and examined and found to have no preaccident anomalies. The No. 2, No. 3, and No. 6 fuel nozzles had incurred damage, and the No. 3 and No. 6 inserts were not recovered. The throttle valve was in the open position, and the mixture control position was unattainable due to the controls having separated from the unit and the attach point.

Both magnetos incurred heavy impact damage, and the steel drive gears of both were intact. The left magneto had remained mounted and it had incurred further damage consistent with the damage hading occurred during recovery. The accessory case of the right magneto was fractured. The top spark plugs were removed for inspection and exhibited light brown combustion deposits, and the electrode wear was moderate when compared to the Champion Spark Plug Chart, and the gap settings were normal.

The base of the propeller hub remained attached to the crankshaft flange and the majority of the aluminum hub had fractured consistent with the impact. The wood/composite propeller blades had separated and was not recovered. The propeller governor had been separated from the engine and was not recovered. The drive end coupling of the unit was intact. The gasket screen of the propeller governor was located and found to be free of metal debris.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

Postmortem examination of both pilots were performed by a pathologist with the District 20 Medical Examiner's Office, Naples, Florida. The cause of death was attributed to be due to massive multiple blunt force injuries. No findings, which could be considered causal, were reported.

The FAA Toxicology Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, conducted toxicology studies on specimens from both the pilot and passenger. The specimens were tested for ethanol and drugs. Pseudoephedrine, phenylpropanolamine, and diphenhydramine were found to be present in the private-rated pilot. All specimens tested negative for the passenger.

TESTS AND RESEARCH

No parachutes were found among the wreckage. A witness at the departure airport stated that he had observed both pilots in the accident airplane together, and that the rated-passenger had been flying with the private-rated pilot, as she became accustomed to piloting the accident airplane. In addition, the witness said that a few weeks prior, the private-rated pilot had used a seat cushion during one of their flights, and it had become wedged in between the control column during the flight. No seat cushion was found in the wreckage.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

On February 4, 2003, the NTSB released the airplane wreckage to Mr. Scott Wienstein, Vice President, Air and Sea Crash Recovery. The NTSB retained components for further examination, and on February 25, 2005, the NTSB returned all retained parts to Mr. Steve Smalley, President, Air and Sea Crash Recovery .

NTSB Probable Cause

The airplane's entry into a near vertical descent for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a collision with terrain during the resultant descent.