NTSB Factual Report

On September 29, 2007, at 1300 central daylight time, an amateur-built Sidewinder, N62RE, was substantially damaged when it overran the 2,526-foot turf runway and collided with a fence at Coastal Airport (83J), Pensacola, Florida. The certificated commercial pilot/owner was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight that departed Slidell Airport (ASD), Slidell, Louisiana, at 1205, and was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated he could not recall the accident sequence. He remembered entering the traffic pattern, and "slipping it in" to compensate for winds from the southwest. On final approach, he opened the canopy to vent the cockpit because he "needed some fresh air." The pilot remembered traveling farther down the runway than "usual," a hard landing, but nothing beyond that.

Several witnesses provided written statements, and described the accident airplane's high speed, low altitude over-flight and entry into the airport traffic pattern. They described the airplane's flight through the final approach course while on the base leg of the pattern, and the "S" turns required to realign the airplane with the runway. The landing was "very fast," "very long," and touchdown was over two-thirds the distance down the runway. The airplane then overran the runway, collided with a fence, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. The witnesses also described the pilot's postcrash position in the airplane as "inverted," "crumpled," his complexion was "blue," and that CPR was administered at the scene.

According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the airplane was manufactured in 1977, and the owner reported the airplane had accrued 900 total hours. The most recent condition inspection was completed in November 2006, when the pilot purchased the airplane. The pilot/owner also reported that the airplane experienced no mechanical malfunctions or failures.

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. The pilot reported an estimated 1,185 total hours of flight experience, of which 100 hours was in make and model. His most recent second-class medical certificate was issued in March 2006.

At 1252, the weather reported at Pensacola Regional Airport, 11 miles east, included clear skies and variable winds at 5 knots. The temperature was 31 degrees Celsius, and the dew point was 17 degrees Celsius.

In a subsequent written statement, the pilot suggested that he was overcome by exhaust fumes due to the proximity of the engine exhaust outlet to the cabin air vent. Examination of his medical records by a National Transportation Safety Board medical officer revealed no specific treatments for carbon monoxide poisoning, and that blood tests were completed several hours after the pilot had received supplemental oxygen treatment. Therefore, concentrations of carbon monoxide in the pilot's blood at the time of the accident could not be determined.

Further, examination of the Safety Board accident database revealed no cases where carbon monoxide poisoning was causal or contributing to accidents that involved this model of amateur-built airplane. The pilot did not report any other episodes of carbon monoxide intoxication or poisoning during the previous 100 hours that he piloted the accident airplane.

According to FAA Advisory Circular AC-20-27D, Certification and Operation of Amateur-Built Aircraft:

"...FAA inspections of amateur-built aircraft have been limited to ensuring the use of acceptable workmanship methods, techniques, practices, and issuing operating limitations necessary to protect persons and property not involved in this activity."

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point while landing.