GRUMMAN AMERICAN AVN. CORP. GA-7

Full Narrative

On February 1, 2024, about 1330 eastern standard time, a Grumman American Aviation Corporation GA-7, N887CC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Coatesville, Pennsylvania. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight.
The airplane was the subject of a restoration project that was documented in a series of online videos. The purpose of the flight was to deliver the airplane to its new owner in Tennessee. According to company and airport employees at Chester County G. O. Carlson Airport (MQS), the pilot arrived about 1230 and made it clear that he was “in a hurry,” as he had a reservation for a flight from Knoxville, Tennessee at 1800 that evening. He called the linemen multiple times and indicated he was in a hurry and was not pleased with their delayed response to his fuel request. The airplane’s 116-gallon fuel system was serviced with 80 gallons of 100LL fuel, which filled each fuel tank “to the tabs.”
According to witnesses, the pilot did not perform a complete preflight inspection of the airplane, and did not obtain fuel samples from the airplane’s fuel tanks before takeoff. He did check the oil and walked around the airplane once, without a checklist. Witnesses described the engine start, taxi, ground run, and subsequent takeoff from runway 29, although some witnesses reported that the pilot did not perform a pre-takeoff engine run-up. The witnesses described the engine sound as smooth and continuous until just after takeoff, when a loud pop was heard followed by sputtering. The airplane then made an “aggressive” right turn, then turned left and continued approximately on the runway heading, about parallel to the runway, before it was lost from view.
ADS-B track data depicted a ground track consistent with that described by witnesses. The airplane’s climb shallowed, its groundspeed slowed, and the track depicted a sharp, tightening, descending right turn, consistent with a Vmc roll, before the track ended in the immediate vicinity of the accident site.
The airplane’s most recent annual inspection was completed on December 14, 2023, at 4,269.3 total aircraft hours. After completion of the annual inspection, the airplane was flown from Michigan, where the work was performed, then to MQS. There, the airplane sat outside for a week during periods of rain. Then, avionics installation was performed as well as mechanical troubleshooting and repairs conducted during the week before the accident flight. The work included, but was not limited to, propeller governor rigging (both sides), the left side fuel quantity indicating system, alternator, alternator switch, and the left magneto on the right engine. The work was completed on the day of the accident.
Recorded precipitation at MQS from December 15, 2023, to February 1, 2024, was a total of 10.79 inches.
The airplane came to rest upright on flat terrain in its initial impact crater on a 135° heading northwest of MQS. All major components were accounted for at the scene. There was no evidence of fire.
The leading edge of the right wing was uniformly crushed along its span and showed damage consistent with crush and hydraulic deformation. A corresponding ground scar of similar dimension to the leading edge was noted in the soft ground. The airplane’s nose, instrument panel, and cockpit area were destroyed by impact. The left wing was separated and rested upright adjacent to the fuselage. The leading edge outboard of the engine nacelle was undamaged. The main wing spar was fractured about mid-cabin and all control cables were separated consistent with impact forces. Flight control continuity was established from the control quadrants in the cockpit area through several breaks to their respective flight control surfaces or points of separation. All breaks featured signatures consistent with impact or overload failures.
The preimpact positions of the fuel selectors and their corresponding valves could not be determined due to multiple fractures in the control rods and the forces of wing separation at impact.
The empennage and tail surfaces were significantly deformed by impact and bent upward approximately 90°. The rudder and elevator control surfaces remained attached to their control cables.
The engines were removed from their nacelles, and their respective propellers were removed. Each two-bladed propeller system displayed one of two blades bent aft approximately mid-span. The carburetor mount/induction plenums were each fractured by impact and were removed with their respective carburetors.
A cursory examination was performed on each engine. They were rotated by hand at the propeller flange and continuity was established on each through the powertrain and valvetrain to the accessory section. All magnetos were secure in the mounts and the impulse couplings produced an audible “snap” during rotation. The top spark plugs were removed from each engine, were intact, showed normal wear, and were light tan and gray in color. Compression was confirmed on all cylinders using the thumb method, and borescope examination revealed signatures consistent with normal wear and combustion deposits.
The left-engine carburetor was disassembled and revealed an intact float. The mixture arm remained attached to the carburetor. The mixture cable and the throttle arm were separated by impact. Fuel drained from the bowl was blue in color and contained no visible water or debris contamination. The fuel was tested with water-detecting paste, which detected no water.
The right-engine carburetor was disassembled and revealed an intact float. The mixture arm, mixture cable, and throttle arm were all secured to the carburetor. Fuel drained from the bowl was blue in color and contained visible water and debris. The fuel was tested with water-detecting paste, which detected water.
Both engines were sent to the manufacturer for further examination and teardown. There were no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation.
Both the left and right fuel boost pumps, one in each wing root, were energized with a battery and both pumped fuel from their respective sump tanks. Both fuel samples contained water and debris.
Samples taken from the sump tank, engine-driven fuel pump, and the carburetor bowl on the airplane’s right side all contained water and debris. The required rubber gasket on the right-wing fuel cap was not installed.
An autopsy was conducted on the pilot by the Office of the Coroner, County of Chester, West Chester, Pennsylvania. The cause of death was “multiple blunt force trauma.” Toxicological testing of the pilot’s specimens was conducted by the FAA Office of Forensic Sciences, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The results were positive for:
Metoprolol Detected Blood (Cavity) LC/MS
Metoprolol Detected Liver LC/MS
Metformin Detected Blood (Cavity) LC/MS
Metformin Detected Liver LC/MS
Atorvastatin Detected Blood (Cavity) LC/MS
Atorvastatin Detected Liver LC/MS
Sitagliptin Detected Blood (Cavity) LC/MS
Sitagliptin Detected Liver LC/MS
Clopidogrel Detected Blood (Cavity) LC/MS
The detected medications would normally require review and acceptance by the FAA for a medical certificate, but are not by themselves disqualifying for BasicMed.
Metoprolol (Lopressor) is a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure and is acceptable by the FAA for pilots. Metformin is an oral medication used alone or with other medications, including insulin, to treat type 2 diabetes mellitus. Metformin may be acceptable for pilots under certain conditions and may require FAA review. Atorvastatin (Lipitor) is an HMG CoA Reductase inhibitor (statin) used to treat high cholesterol and is acceptable for pilots.
Sitagliptin was detected. Sitagliptin (Januvia) is a DPP-4 inhibitor used to treat Type II diabetes by increasing insulin secretion and decreasing glucagon release. Sitagliptin is conditionally acceptable for pilots depending on the diabetes regimen. Clopidogrel (Plavix) is a platelet aggregation inhibitor used to prevent blood clots in coronary artery stents and is acceptable for pilots.
None of the detected medications are considered impairing.