Pilot Debrief

GOLDEN CIRCLE T BIRD near Arlington, WA — 2023-09-22

Final reportWPR23FA351
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Date
2023-09-22
Location
Arlington, WA, USA
Airport
KAWO
Aircraft
GOLDEN CIRCLE T BIRD
Registration
UNREG
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

A failure of the forward left wing spar due to an improper repair, which resulted in an inflight separation of the left wing. Contributing to the accident was improper maintenance by splicing the wing spar.

Contributing factors

Contributing to the accident was improper maintenance by splicing the wing spar.

NTSB narrative

The noncertificated pilot was performing taxi tests in his unregistered experimental amateur-built airplane. A witness reported that the airplane departed the runway and flew erratically as it briefly flew away from the airport and then reappeared over a tree line. The video of the accident sequence showed that, as the airplane flew over the airport, it made several uncoordinated turns, rapid pitch changes and erratically yawed right to left multiple times. In the airplane’s final seconds of flight, it began a steep right bank during which the left wing separated and the airplane fell to the ground. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed that the forward left wing spar failed in overload due to an improper repair that included splicing the spar and rejoining it with a sleeve. The spar failed in flight, which resulted in a failure of the left wing, a subsequent loss of control and rapid descent. The examination did not reveal any other preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Toxicology testing detected the presence of ethanol in one tested liver specimen, and the pilot’s use of methamphetamine, cannabis, and amitriptyline. The ethanol was not detected in two other tested specimens (including another liver tissue specimen), which indicates that it was likely from sources other than alcohol consumption. The measured levels of methamphetamine were high enough to indicate a general likelihood that the pilot was experiencing associated impairing effects at the time of the crash. However, the precise nature and severity of his impairment cannot be determined from available evidence. Whether the pilot’s use of cannabis or amitriptyline would have resulted in impairment could not be determined.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Human factors
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have refrained from flying due to lack of certification and impairment.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Video
  • Photos
  • 7 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents7

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