Granite Shoals, TX, USA
N416FC
ENBODY FRANK GY 201 MINICAB
Witnesses reported seeing the airplane within a mile of the departure airport and hearing the engine sputter before a total loss of engine power. One witness stated that it sounded like the engine was starved of fuel. The airplane then descended and impacted a tree and terrain. A postaccident examination of the amateur-built airplane revealed that about 75 percent of the carburetor fuel screen was blocked by dirt and debris, which would have decreased the fuel flow to the engine, resulting in a partial loss of engine power. The examination also revealed that duct tape was used to patch holes in the fabric skin and on a fuel line connection, and "C" clamps that were used to support the wing rib to spar attachments. The airplane's logbooks were not recovered during the investigation; however, the overall condition of the airplane suggests that it had not been properly maintained. The level of postmortem ethanol detected in the pilot's blood, urine, and vitreous fluid would have caused significant impairment; however, the pilot was soaked in gasoline as a result of the accident and postmortem exposure to gasoline containing ethanol has been shown to result in positive ethanol results. Therefore, it cannot be determined what portion, if any, of the ethanol found post mortem was from ingestion. The pilot's impairment from both hydrocodone and tramadol most likely degraded his decision-making ability.
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn March 24, 2012, at 1824 central daylight time, an amateur built Enbody model GY 201 Minicab, N416FC, impacted terrain in a residential area in Granite Shoals, Texas, shortly after departing from the Sunrise Beach Airport (2KL), Sunrise Beach Village, Texas. The private pilot was fatally injured and the passenger received serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to the pilot and was being operated as a 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight which was not operating on a flight plan. The flight originated from 2KL just prior to the accident. The departure airport was served by a single runway: 12/30; however, the runway direction that was used for departure could not be determined by available witness statements. Several witnesses located within a mile southeast of the airport reported that they saw and heard the airplane. One witness reported seeing the airplane flying to the east before it turned to the north. The witnesses reported hearing the engine sputtering/backfiring before it lost engine power. One witnesses stated the engine sounded like it was "….starving for fuel." The airplane then descended into terrain. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 74, held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating. The pilot did not hold a current airman medical certificate, nor was he required to hold a medical certificate to operate a light-sport aircraft. The last Federal Aviation Administration airman medical certificate issued to the pilot was a third class medical issued on December 15, 2003. The pilot reported having 400 hours of total flight time on the application for his last medical certificate. A pilot logbook was located during the investigation. The last entry in the logbook was dated July 7, 1998. The total flight time listed on that date was 359.5 hours. The pilot held a Repairman Experimental Aircraft Builder certificate for the accident aircraft. This certificate was issued on September 8, 1994. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane was a 1994 amateur built, experimental GY 201 Minicab, serial number 01. The pilot was the airplane builder. The GY 201 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane, 2-place, tail wheel airplane. The airplane was primarily constructed out of wood and fabric. The airplane was powered by a Continental C85 engine. No airframe or engine logbooks were located during the investigation. The tachometer time at the time of the accident was 88.68 hours. The airplane had a maximum takeoff weight of 1,250 pounds, a cruise speed of 94 knots, and a maximum stall speed of 40 knots. As such, the airplane met the FAA definition of a light-sport aircraft. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1835, the weather reported at the Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport (DZB), Horseshoe Bay, Texas, located 5 miles south-southeast of the accident site was: Wind calm; 10 miles visibility; clear skies; temperature 26 degrees Celsius; dew point 15 degrees Celsius; altimeter 29.96 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe airplane was a 1994 amateur built, experimental GY 201 Minicab, serial number 01. The pilot was the airplane builder. The GY 201 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane, 2-place, tail wheel airplane. The airplane was primarily constructed out of wood and fabric. The airplane was powered by a Continental C85 engine. No airframe or engine logbooks were located during the investigation. The tachometer time at the time of the accident was 88.68 hours. The airplane had a maximum takeoff weight of 1,250 pounds, a cruise speed of 94 knots, and a maximum stall speed of 40 knots. As such, the airplane met the FAA definition of a light-sport aircraft. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane impacted a tree and then terrain, coming to rest up against a wooden fence in a residential yard located about 3/4 miles southeast of 2KL. The airplane came to rest on its left side. The outboard portion of the left wing and aft fuselage separated from the airplane during the impact sequence. Flight control continuity was established to the extent possible. All of the fractured control cables were consistent with overload separations. Several of the wing ribs were clamped with "C" clamps to metal brackets mounted on the wing spar. Several areas of duct tape patches were found on the fabric skin. The engine rotated freely when the propeller was turned by hand and continuity was established throughout the engine. Thumb compression was established, with the compression being lower on cylinders 1 and 3. Several fuel lines were noted to be degraded. Safety wire was not present on the screws which held the carburetor together. The carburetor fuel screen was about 75 percent blocked with dirt and debris. Duct tape and cable-ties were found on the fuel line connection near the fuel tank. Both the engine driven and electric fuel pumps were intact. It is unknown how much fuel was on board at takeoff and the fuel tank was ruptured, but there was a strong odor of automotive fuel at the accident site. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONAn autopsy was performed on the pilot on March 25, 2012, at the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office, Austin, Texas. The autopsy report indicated that the pilot's remains were soaked in fuel. Forensic toxicology was performed on specimens from the pilot by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory, located in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The test results revealed: 169 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Urine 161 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Blood 162 (mg/dL, mg/hg) Ethanol detected in Vitreous 15.05 (ug/ml, ug/g) Acetaminophen detected in Urine Cetirizine NOT detected in Blood Cetirizine detected in Urine Citalopram detected in Urine 0.21 (ug/ml, ug/g) Citalopram detected in Blood Dextromethorphan detected in Blood Dextromethorphan detected in Urine Dextrorphan detected in Blood 0.029 (ug/mL, ug/g) Dihydrocodeine detected in Urine Dihydrocodeine NOT detected in Blood Gabapentin detected in Urine Gabapentin NOT detected in Blood 0.031 (ug/ml, ug/g) Hydrocodone detected in Blood 0.185 (ug/ml, ug/g) Hydrocodone detected in Urine N-Desmethylcitalopram detected in Urine 0.04 (ug/ml, ug/g) N-Desmethylcitalopram detected in Blood Tramadol detected in Urine 0.724 (ug/mL, ug/g) Tramadol detected in Blood Ethanol is primarily a social drug with a central nervous system depressant. Ethanol is also an additive in automotive fuel. N-desmethylcitalopram is a metabolite of Citalopram. Citalopram is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor used as an antidepressant and marketed under the brand name Celexa. Dihydrocodeine is a metabolite of hydrocodone. Hydrocodone is an opiod analgesic prescribed as a Schedule II controlled substance that is commonly marketed under various brand names including Vicodin, Lartab, and Norco. Hydrocodone may impair mental and physical abilities. Tramadol is an opioid pain medication that may impair mental and physical abilities. Dextromethorphan is a non-sedating cough medication. Cetirizine is a sedating antihistamine used to treat allergy symptoms. Gabapentin is a prescription medication used to treat chronic or neuropathic pain or to help prevent seizures. .
A loss of engine power due to fuel starvation as a result of a contaminated carburetor fuel screen. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment from medications that degraded his decision-making and the pilot's improper maintenance of the airplane.
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