NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On December 7, 2015, at 1827 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built CCK-1865, N541TC, was substantially damaged when it impacted wooded terrain, while maneuvering near Merrys Pymatuning Airport (PA01), Linesville, Pennsylvania. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Hartford Aviation LLC and operated by a private individual as a personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned flight to PA01. The flight originated from Greenville Municipal Airport (4G1), Greenville, Pennsylvania, at 1814.

According to the manager of the fixed-based-operator at 4G1, the passenger had flown his airplane to 4G1 during the morning of the accident for maintenance and had stayed throughout the day. The passenger had planned to drive home in the evening while maintenance continued, but the accident pilot, who was a friend of the passenger, happened to land at 4G1 about 1700. After visiting for about 1 hour, the accident pilot offered the passenger a flight home in lieu of the passenger driving.

The owner of a farm, located about 1 mile north of PA01, stated that she heard an impact sound about the time of the accident, but didn't see anything as it was dark and foggy. Rescue personnel later located the wreckage about 2030 in a wooded area adjacent to the farm.

PILOT INFORMATION

The pilot held a private pilot certificate, with a rating for airplane single-engine land. He did not possess an instrument rating. His most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) third-class medical certificate was issued on November 17, 2015. At that time, he reported a total flight experience of 600 hours. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that the most recent entry was dated October 27, 2015. He had accumulated about 575 hours of total flight experience; of which, about 200 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. According to the logbook, the pilot had flown about 38 hours during the 90-day period preceding the accident. All of those hours were flown in the same make and model as the accident airplane.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The two-seat, high-wing, fixed tailwheel airplane, serial number CCK-1865-0075, was assembled from a kit in 2014 and issued an FAA experimental airworthiness certificate on January 29, 2015, which was its most recent annual condition inspection. It was powered by a Cub Crafters CC-340, 180-horsepower experimental engine, equipped with a Catto two-blade, fixed-pitch wood-core composite propeller. Further review of the aircraft logbook revealed that the most recent oil change was completed on September 30, 2015. At that time, the airframe and engine had accumulated 181 hours of operation.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

Northeast Ohio Regional Airport (HZY), Ashtabula, Ohio, was located about 13 miles northwest of the accident site at an elevation of 924 feet. The recorded weather at HZY, at 1834, was: wind calm, visibility 7 miles; overcast ceiling at 1,000 feet; temperature 4 degrees C; dew point 2 degrees C, altimeter 30.17 inches Hg. The previous recording at 1753 included an overcast ceiling at 800 feet.

Additionally, the National Weather Service in Cleveland, Ohio, had issued a dense fog advisory for the area including the accident site at 1543. There was also an airmen's meteorological information, issued at 1545, valid for instrument meteorological conditions for the accident location.

According to the U.S. Naval Observatory, the official sunset at PA01 was 1651 and the end of civil twilight was 1723. Moonrise did not occur until 0340 the following day.

There was no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing from flight service or direct user access terminal.

AERODROME INFORMATION

Merrys Pymatuning Airport was located at an elevation of 1,203 feet and consisted of one turf runway (4/22), which was 1,815 feet long and 120 feet wide. There was no runway lighting and no instrument approach procedure at the airport.

WRECKAGE INFORMATION

A debris path was observed; beginning with freshly cut tree branches from trees that were approximately 50 feet tall. A section of right wingtip was also located at the beginning of the debris path and the path extended approximately 120 feet on a magnetic heading of north to the main wreckage. The main wreckage was inverted at an elevation of 1,115 feet. The right wing separated and the left wing remaining attached to the airframe. The right aileron and right flap separated from the right wing, while the left aileron and left flap remained attached to the left wing. The left wing and empennage were entangled around a tree. The elevator and rudder remained attached to the empennage

Control continuity was confirmed from the pilot's cockpit control stick to the elevator attach-point, with one elevator cable remaining attached and the other cable exhibiting a broomstraw separation. Rudder control continuity was confirmed from the rudder pedals to the rudder attach-point, with one rudder cable remaining attached and the other exhibiting a broomstraw separation. The lower left aileron cable remained attached from the control stick to its left aileron attach-point. The lower right aileron cable remained attached from the pilot's control stick and right aileron attach-point; however, it exhibited two broomstraw separations along the length of the cable. The upper right aileron cable remained attached from the right aileron attach-point to cockpit turn-buckle. The upper left aileron cable exhibited a broomstraw separation about 6 inches from the turn-buckle. Measurement of the elevator trim jackscrew corresponded to an approximate neutral to nose-up trim position.

The cockpit was crushed, but both four-point harnesses remained intact. The magneto switch remained in the both position and the fuel selector was positioned to both fuel tanks. The throttle and carburetor heat control levers were in the forward position while the mixture control was in the lean position. The primer control was in and locked. The engine remained attached the fuselage. The two-blade wooden and composite propeller separated from the hub and shattered. The engine sustained impact damage to the underside. The carburetor was impact damage and approximately half of it was not recovered. Fuel was found in the gascolator and consistent in odor and color to 100-low-lead aviation gasoline. The propeller hub was rotated by hand and continuity was confirmed to the rear accessory section of the engine.

A GPS, video recorder, and engine monitor were recovered from the wreckage and forwarded to the NTSB Recorder Laboratory, Washington, DC, for data download.

The video recorder's memory card was fractured and no data were recovered; however, data from the GPS and engine monitor were successfully downloaded and plotted. Review of the data plots revealed that the airplane traveled north on a course to PA01, about 2,000 feet above ground level (agl). During the last 2 minutes of data, the airplane descended to approximately 500 feet agl, and continued north toward PA01. The airplane flew over PA01 about 300 feet agl and continued north for 1 mile, where the accident site was located. The last GPS target was recorded at 18:27:18, about .7 mile south of the accident site, indicating an altitude of 400 feet agl. Review of engine data revealed that the engine rpm was at 2,090 at the end of the data.

MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION

An autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Crawford County Coroner's Office, Saegertown, Pennsylvania, on December 9, 2015. The autopsy report noted the cause of death as "blunt force trauma."

Toxicological testing was performed on the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Science Research Laboratory, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were negative for alcohol and drugs.

NTSB Probable Cause

The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to attempt a flight under visual flight rules at night in instrument meteorological conditions to an unlit airstrip, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.