Taylorcraft BL-65 N24369

Summary

On 28 July 2011 at about 19:11 local time, a Taylorcraft BL-65 registered N24369, operated by Brehm Joshua C, was involved in an accident near Winterville, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 July 2011 at 19:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Winterville, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

South Oak Aerodrome (NC47)

Coordinates

35.4822, -77.3544

Aircraft

Taylorcraft BL-65

Registration

N24369

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Brehm Joshua C

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Winterville → Winterville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11FA426

1 person died.

A loss of airplane control for undetermined reasons as the autopsy was unable to reveal any definitive conditions that would have led to the loss of control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After a local flight, the vintage airplane was approaching the pilot's home airport on a very hot day (36 degrees C [97 degrees F]), and the cockpit was most likely hot as well. As the airplane approached perpendicular to the runway, it maintained a nose-down, left bank attitude, consistent with no further control inputs from the pilot. The airplane impacted the left side of runway, approximately one-third down the runway, pivoted 180 degrees, and came to rest about 20 feet from the initial impact point. Examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Although the autopsy report listed the cause of death as multiple injuries related to the crash, it also noted significant coronary artery disease and a tiny scar of the papillary muscle. Both suggested the possibility of a cardiac arrhythmia or heart attack that may have resulted in incapacitation. Additionally, the pilot's medical history revealed a vasovagal (fainting) episode due to nausea and vomiting about 2 years prior to the accident. Neither a vasovagal episode nor cardiac arrhythmia would have left any evidence for discovery during autopsy. As such, pilot incapacitation is possible in this accident because of the lack of control inputs as the airplane approached the runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.