ERA14FA345

The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed for the airplane’s configuration and flight profile, which resulted in an exceedance of the wing’s critical angle-of-attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin.

The accident airplane and another airplane approached the single runway from opposite directions. A witness reported hearing the pilot of the accident airplane reporting positions relative to the airport; he did not hear the pilot of the other airplane make any transmissions. Postaccident interviews with the pilot of the other airplane revealed that he was using a portable radio that likely became disabled due to its location and/or configuration in the cockpit; however, due to the type of airspace, neither airplane was required to have radio communications. As both airplanes approached the runway, both pilots saw the other airplane and successfully completed go-arounds to the right. The accident airplane then entered a steep climb, and, as it made a crosswind turn, the nose dropped, and the airplane entered a spin to the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the landing gear were down and that the flaps were likely somewhat extended; however, the degree to which they were extended or whether they were in transit could not be determined. Wreckage damage indicated that the airplane was in a left spin at the time of impact. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation.

LKP had a single, southeast-northwest, 4,196-foot by 60-foot runway, designated 14 toward the southeast and 32 toward the northwest. Runway elevation was 1,743 feet, and there was no control tower or ground-based radio-transmission recording devices. The UNICOM frequency was 122.8 MHz. The airport was located in Class G airspace, which, per FAA regulations, did not require radio communications. An autopsy of the pilot, performed at the Adirondack Medical Center, Saranac Lake, New York, determined the cause of death to be "blunt force trauma." No significant natural disease, including no coronary atherosclerosis, was identified. Toxicological testing, performed by the FAA's Forensic Toxicology Research Team, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, found metoprolol in urine and in cavity blood (no amounts noted.) According to the FAA Aeromedical Research web site, metoprolol "is a beta-adrenergic receptor antagonist, "beta blocker," used in the treatment of hypertension and certain arrhythmias." The wreckage was located mostly on the side of a small levee about 075 degrees, 0.60 nm from the center of LKP, in the vicinity of 44 degrees, 16.03 minutes north latitude, 073 degrees, 56.94 minutes west longitude. There were two damaged pine trees leading to the impact site, at an estimated 30 feet from the main wreckage. Direction from the pine trees to the wreckage was about 120 degrees magnetic. Damage found about 12 feet above the ground on the left pine tree was consistent with impact damage found near the tip of the airplane's left wing. Damage found about 15 feet above the ground on the right pine tree was consistent with the distance from the airplane's left wing damage to its propeller. Damage between the two pine trees was consistent with about a 25- to 30-degree left-wing-down airplane position at tree impact. The wreckage came to rest with the left wing and engine at the base of the levee, and with the right wing partially bent over the top of the levee. Ground indentations, paint chips, a small area of surface abrasions, spar damage and wingtip compression were together consistent with the right wing having flexed downward and forward upon initial impact. The tail section was bent to the right in relation to the rest of the fuselage, consistent with nose-left rotation at impact. With NTSB concurrence, the occupants were removed from the airplane prior to NTSB arrival. To facilitate removal, part of the airplane's tubular structure had been cut away. Extensive charring and fusing of materials were noted in the cockpit area as well as a semi-flattening of the instrument panel. There was no evidence of an in-flight fire. All flight control surfaces were accounted for at the accident scene, and flight control continuity was confirmed from the control surfaces to entry points of the charred cockpit. Engine control positions at the time of impact could not be confirmed due to impact forces and the postcrash fire. The landing gear would have normally been actuated manually via mechanical linkage through a "Johnson bar" located between the front seats. The Johnson bar was found parallel to the semi-flattened instrument panel, consistent with the landing gear being in the down position. In addition, one main landing gear was found partially extended and one fully extended; and both tires exhibited dirt skid marks and staining consistent with their being out of the wheel wells when the airplane impacted the ground. The nose landing gear was destroyed. Flap positions could not be definitively determined. Flaps, which were normally hydraulically operated and mechanically linked, were observed to be extended or partially extended to various degrees along the wings at the scene. The flap relief valve handle, which normally releases hydraulic pressure at a slow rate to allow springs or air forces to raise the flaps, was found in the "Up" or "Release" position, but was attached to the deformed instrument panel. The airplane's wings were subsequently removed and the wreckage was transported to a secure NYSP holding yard. There, with additional charred material removed, the mechanical trim and flap indicators were found. The indicators would have normally been mounted vertically in the airplane below the engine controls and forward of the Johnson bar. However, with the fire and crushing, they were found almost horizontal, to the right of the Johnson bar. Indications as found had the trim indicator at the "Takeoff" position, and the flap indicator between "Landing" and "Takeoff." The propeller was examined both at the scene and at the NYSP holding yard. There was no significant torsional bending, yet there was significant leading edge burnishing and chordwise markings on both propeller blades, consistent with the propeller passing through the sandy river soil mix prevalent at the accident site. The engine was also examined at the holding yard with no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies found. In addition, there was scoring on the starter Bendix housing and grinding on the starter ring gear, consistent with the engine attempting to pull the propeller through the soil. Subsequent to the accident, a wavy scrape mark was found in the right half of the runway in the vicinity of a taxiway that led to the ramp. NYSP photographs revealed that the mark was continuous with various branches "Y"ing off and rejoining the main scrape. The scrape was 17 feet in length and appeared deepest at its southernmost point. Looking toward the southeast, down runway 14, the scrape veered gradually to the left, which was inconsistent with an airplane seen turning hard to the right. Examination of the airplane's right wing tip revealed a pristine wingtip position light and no structural damage that would have been consistent with the wingtip scraping the runway. Weather, recorded at an airport 13 nautical miles northwest, at 1051, included clear skies, visibility 10 statute miles, wind from 220 degrees true at 3 knots, altimeter setting 30.28 inches Hg. The pilot, age 63, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane, single engine land rating. His latest Federal Aviation Administration third class medical certificate was issued on June 24, 2014. On his application, the pilot indicated 729 hours of flight time. The pilot's logbook was charred, with remaining pages mostly smeared from fire-fighting water contact. Although the date was destroyed due to burn damage, the pilot's latest flight review was logged one flight prior to his May 2, 2014, instrument proficiency check. The last flight logged was four flights later (date also destroyed) between two North Carolina airports. At the time, the pilot had logged 729 total flight hours with time in make and model unknown. Accident Airplane The airplane was powered by a Lycoming IO-360 engine driving a two-bladed aluminum propeller. The aircraft logbook indicated that, as of the latest annual inspection on January 30, 2014, a total airframe time of 3,404 hours, total engine time the same, engine time since major overhaul 806 hours, and propeller time since new of 385 hours. There were no flight data or cockpit voice recording devices on the airplane. Other Airplane According to the local pilot, his 1946 Luscombe 8A did not have an electrical system, "or any installed electrical equipment other than an ELT. The radio that is often used in this airplane is a small, battery operated handheld that rests atop the elevator trim mechanism which is located between the seat cushions in the cramped and noisy cabin. It delivers varying degrees of performance and reliability and encourages 'see-and-be-seen' flying to include use of standard rectangular traffic patterns. The aircraft is based at Lake Placid Airport which is used by radio equipped and non-radio equipped aircraft and there is seasonal glider activity." In addition, "the handheld radio is sensitive to movement or jarring that may alte