Russom Roy G HUMMEL H5 N156FH

Summary

On 18 December 2012 at about 19:00 local time, a Russom Roy G HUMMEL H5 registered N156FH was involved in an accident near Calhoun, Georgia, 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

18 December 2012 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Calhoun, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Tom B. David (CZL)

Coordinates

31.3292, -84.9401

Aircraft

Russom Roy G HUMMEL H5

Registration

N156FH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Calhoun → Calhoun

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA093

1 person died.

The pilot’s impairment or incapacitation due to the effects of medication, worsening cardiac disease, or cardiac arrhythmia, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The experimental amateur-built airplane was completed about 4 months before the accident and had been flown less than 4 hours by the pilot/builder. Witnesses reported that when the airplane took off, the engine sounds, ground roll, and departure were all "normal." Then, about 300 feet above the ground, the airplane began a slow roll to the right (the airport traffic pattern was to the left), reaching about 90 degrees of bank and 60 degrees of nose-down pitch when it descended into trees. Witnesses reported no engine power changes until impact. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed extensive impact-related fire damage. The throttle and mixture controls were at their full power positions, and the carburetor heat control was in the full cold position. Flight control continuity was confirmed, but numerous flight control surfaces had separated from the cockpit controls, consistent with impact overload. No preexisting mechanical anomalies were found that would have precluded normal operation. The 76-year-old pilot had no recent Federal Aviation Administration medical examinations, but none were required as he was operating the airplane as a sport pilot. Although the cause of death was listed as blunt force trauma, the autopsy report also revealed severe atherosclerotic coronary artery disease but did not contain information about the extent of occlusions, the vessels involved, or evidence of interventions, such as stents. The report identified extensive fibrosis and scarring throughout the heart muscle, suggesting previous coronary artery blockage event(s); but with no further details of the scarring and no microscopic examination. The exact extent of cardiac disease and whether there had been any recent coronary events could not be determined. Extensive scarring of the heart muscle creates an increased risk of irregular heart rhythms that can lead to dizziness or sudden incapacitation. Toxicology was positive for blood pressure medications that, by themselves, should not have degraded the pilot's ability to safely operate the airplane but with other factors, could have resulted in low blood pressure, dizziness, or even unconsciousness. Based on the pilot's recent reported dizziness, the findings of severe coronary artery disease, and evidence of heart muscle damage, it is likely that the pilot was impaired or incapacitated when he lost control of the airplane as a result of low blood pressure due to medications, worsening heart disease, or an irregular heart rhythm.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.