Event CEN11FA537

Factual narrative

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 31, 2011, at 0748 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Morrison model E-Racer airplane, N345JM, was destroyed when it collided with power lines and terrain while maneuvering during a test flight near Big Rock, Illinois. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the private pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight that departed the Aurora Municipal Airport (ARR), Sugar Grove, Illinois, at 0744. The accident occurred during the airplane's first flight since being issued an experimental category airworthiness certificate. According to air traffic control data, the pilot contacted ground control at 0739:33 (hh:mm:ss) for a taxi clearance to runway 27. The pilot told the ground controller that it was the airplane's first flight and that he wanted to orbit the airport at 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl). At 0742:27, the pilot contacted the control tower for a takeoff clearance on runway 27. The tower controller cleared the flight for takeoff on runway 27 and to orbit the airport at 2,500 feet msl, making left turns. Radar track data initially depicted the airplane at 900 feet msl, west of the departure end of runway 27, in a climbing left turn. The airplane climbed to 2,600 feet msl while maintaining a 1 to 2 mile radius from the airport. At 0747:29, as the airplane was completing its first orbit of the airport, the pilot told the tower controller that the airplane was experiencing excessive engine cylinder head temperatures and that he would like to land. According to radar track data, the airplane was at 2,700 feet msl and had a ground speed of about 145 knots at that time. The tower controller replied that the wind was calm and that the flight was cleared to land on either runway 27 or runway 9. At 0747:42, the pilot replied that he would land on runway 27. There were no additional communications received from the pilot. After the pilot reported having excessive engine cylinder head temperatures, radar track data indicated that the airplane began a descending left turn about 1.5 miles from the airport. The airplane's ground speed decreased from about 170 knots to 105 knots during the final 18 seconds of recorded radar data. During the same time period, the airplane descent rate increased from 650 feet per minute to 2,400 feet per minute. At 0748:10, the last radar return was recorded about 2.2 miles west-southwest of ARR at 1,100 feet (about 400 feet above the ground). A witness, who was also a certificated pilot, observed the airplane flying at a low altitude, between 100 to 150 feet above the ground, immediately north of Granart Road. The airplane was traveling at a high ground speed in a slight left turn with its landing gear retracted. The airplane leveled its wings momentarily before it entered a left wing low, wings near vertical, descent. The airplane collided with power lines and a cornfield while in the near vertical descent. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONAccording to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot, age 73, held a private pilot certificate with a single engine land airplane rating. His last aviation medical examination was completed on July 6, 2011, when he was issued a third-class medical certificate with a restriction for corrective lenses. The most recent pilot logbook entry was dated July 15, 2007. At that time, the pilot had accumulated 382 hours total flight time. The logbook indicated that all of his flight experience had been completed in single-engine land airplanes. The last documented flight review was completed on November 18, 2006, in a Cessna 172. On September 12, 2000, the pilot had a forced landing accident in another Morrison model E-Racer, serial number 113 (not the accident airplane). The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) final report attributed the loss of engine power to the pilot/builder's modification of the engine air intake system that resulted in an excessive fuel flow to the manifold. The pilot reported having accumulated 191 hours total time in all aircraft and 24 hours in the Morrison model E-Racer at the time of the September 2000 accident. On June 21, 2008, the pilot experienced an inflight fire accident in the same airplane that was involved in the September 2000 accident. The airplane, serial number 113, was destroyed during the accident. The NTSB final report attributed the inflight fire to an unspecified failure within the high-pressure fuel system. The pilot reported having accumulated 490 hours total time in all aircraft and 365 hours in the Morrison model E-Racer at the time of the June 2008 accident. According to FAA records, on July 6, 2011, the pilot reported having 502 hours total flight experience when he applied for his current medical certificate. Additionally, he reported that he had not flown during the 6 months before the medical examination. The pilot's previous medical certificate was issued on November 4, 2006, at which time he reported having 320 hours total flight experience. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a 2011 Morrison model E-Racer amateur-built airplane, serial number 186. The plans-built composite airframe was equipped with a forward canard and a rear-mounted engine. A modified 350-horsepower Lycoming model O-540-A1D5 reciprocating engine, serial number L-1135005-40, powered the airplane. The stock Lycoming O-540-A1D5 engine had been modified with a fuel injection system and an electronic coil-on-plug ignition system. These engine design modifications resulted in an experimental engine classification. The airplane was equipped with a fixed pitch, three blade, Catto Propellers wood propeller. The accident airplane was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate on July 8, 2011. The accident occurred during the airplane's first flight. A postaccident review of the available maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 0752, the ARR automated surface observing system (ASOS) reported: calm wind, visibility 7 miles, clear sky, temperature 23 degrees Celsius, dew point 20 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.13 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe accident airplane was a 2011 Morrison model E-Racer amateur-built airplane, serial number 186. The plans-built composite airframe was equipped with a forward canard and a rear-mounted engine. A modified 350-horsepower Lycoming model O-540-A1D5 reciprocating engine, serial number L-1135005-40, powered the airplane. The stock Lycoming O-540-A1D5 engine had been modified with a fuel injection system and an electronic coil-on-plug ignition system. These engine design modifications resulted in an experimental engine classification. The airplane was equipped with a fixed pitch, three blade, Catto Propellers wood propeller. The accident airplane was issued an experimental airworthiness certificate on July 8, 2011. The accident occurred during the airplane's first flight. A postaccident review of the available maintenance records found no history of unresolved airworthiness issues. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONA postaccident investigation confirmed that all airframe structural and flight control components were located at the accident site. The initial impact point was beneath a set of power lines, located about 20 feet south of Granart Road. The initial impact consisted of a ground depression that was consistent in size and shape as the leading edge of the outboard section of the airplane's left wing and associated winglet. The ground depression extended about 15 feet into the cornfield and was consistent with the length of the entire left wing. The main impact crater was located in the cornfield, about 40 feet east of power lines. The main wreckage consisted of the entire airframe, flight controls, engine, and propeller. All observed structural component failures were consistent with overstress separation. The entire fuselage was fragmented. Both wings had separated from the fuselage. There were three power lines found entangled with the right wing, which were located 7 inches, 45 inches, and 121 inches outboard of the wing root. The power lines had penetrated the right wing leading edge, and extended aft to the main wing spar. The left wing exhibited leading edge damage. The canard and elevator were found in several pieces. The split-rudder surfaces remained attached to their respective vertical stabilizers. Flight control continuity could not be established due to the extent of the damage; however, all observed flight control system discontinuities were consistent with overstress. There was no evidence of an inflight fire. The engine remained attached to the aft fuselage bulkhead/firewall, which had separated from the fuselage. The engine compartment and associated baffling were destroyed during the accident. Internal engine and valve train continuity was confirmed as the engine crankshaft was rotated. Compression and suction were noted on all cylinders in conjunction with crankshaft rotation. The upper spark plugs were removed and exhibited features consistent with normal engine operation. A functional test of the electronic coil-on-plug ignition system was not possible due to the extent of damage. There were no obstructions between the air filter housing and the fuel servo. The fuel supply line to the fuel servo contained fuel consistent in appearance with 100-low lead aviation fuel. A fuel sample was free of any water or particulate contamination. The fuel inlet screen was free of any particulate contamination. The propeller remained attached to the engine crankshaft. One of the three propeller blades was fractured near the hub. The remaining two propeller blades remained attached to the hub and were undamaged. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The extent of damage to the engine compartment and associated baffling precluded a determination of why the engine had developed excessive cylinder head temperatures during the accident flight. Additionally, although the airplane was equipped with an electronic flight information system, the individual components were not configured and/or equipped to record flight data. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONOn June 30, 2011, an autopsy was performed on the pilot by the Kane County Coroner's Office located in Geneva, Illinois. The cause of death for the pilot was attributed to multiple blunt-force injuries sustained during the accident. The FAA's Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, performed toxicology tests on samples obtained during the pilot's autopsy. No ethanol was detected. Diphenhydramine was detected in liver and kidney samples. Diphenhydramine, trade name Benadryl, is an over-the-counter sedating antihistamine used to treat seasonal allergies. Famotidine was detected in kidney samples. Famotidine, trade name Pepcid, is an over-the-counter histamine that inhibits stomach acid production. Quinine was detected in liver samples. Quinine is an anti-malarial used in the treatment of malaria and leg cramps; however, it is also an additive used in tonic water and in over-the-counter nutritional supplements. The accident occurred during the first flight test of the recently completed experimental amateur-built airplane. The tower controller cleared the flight to orbit the airport at 2,500 feet mean sea level (msl) and to make left turns. As the airplane was completing its first orbit of the airport, the pilot told the tower controller that the airplane was experiencing excessive engine cylinder head temperatures and that he would like to land. According to radar track data, the airplane was at 2,700 feet msl and had a ground speed of about 145 knots at that time. The tower controller replied that the wind was calm and that the flight was cleared to land. The pilot acknowledged the landing clearance, and no additional communications were received from the pilot. Radar track data indicated that the airplane began a left descending turn as its ground speed decreased from about 170 to 105 knots, and its descent rate increased from 650 to 2,400 feet per minute. The last radar return was about 2 miles west-southwest of the airport about 400 feet above the ground. A witness observed the accident airplane traveling about 125 feet above the ground at a high speed while in a slight left turn with its landing gear retracted. The airplane leveled its wings momentarily before it entered a left-wing-low, wings-near-vertical descent and then collided with power lines and a cornfield. The postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. No evidence of an in-flight fire was found. The extent of damage to the engine compartment and associated baffling precluded a determination of why the engine developed excessive cylinder head temperatures during the accident flight. However, excessive engine cylinder head temperatures would not have resulted in a flight controllability issue and, therefore, the pilot should have been able to maintain control of the airplane throughout the flight. The pilot had accumulated about 365 hours of flight experience in a comparable airplane. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).

• C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
• C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C