N13HP

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn February 18, 2014, about 1638 central standard time, a Hawker Sea Fury ISS-25 single-engine, single-seat airplane, N13HP, was destroyed after impacting terrain during climb at Stephens County Airport (BKD), Breckenridge, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to Breckenridge Aviation Museum; Breckenridge, Texas, and at the time of the accident was in the process of changing registration to J R Consulting NV, LLC; Midland, Texas. It was operated by a private individual. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident and a flight plan had not been filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight.

The accident pilot had one previous flight earlier that morning, which had lasted about 20 minutes, and he was making only his second takeoff in a Hawker Sea Fury. Several witnesses near the runway at mid-field were actively watching as the southbound accident airplane took off. They reported hearing abnormal engine and propeller sounds and the airplane's vertical climb speed seemed to be slower than normal. One witness, who had pilot experience in the Hawker Sea Fury, reported that he could clearly hear the engine "screaming", and he knew at that moment that the accident pilot was experiencing a propeller overspeed.

The flight instructor was flying in a second single-seat Hawker Sea Fury airplane and was conducting a formation takeoff in trail behind the accident airplane. He reported that maximum takeoff power for the Hawker Sea Fury was about 2,900 rpm at about 50 inches of manifold pressure. After his takeoff in the second airplane he joined in on the right side of the accident airplane and he heard the accident pilot make one radio transmission that his "rpm was at 3,500". No further transmissions from the accident pilot were heard. Both airplanes climbed to about 1,000 feet above ground level (agl) and about one mile from the runway the accident airplane began a slow turn to the left. During this time the flight instructor was flying formation on the accident airplane and continued to transmit instructions to the accident pilot to lower the nose and reduce the throttle.

The accident airplane had almost completed a left turn to the downwind, had descended to about 500 feet above the ground, was slowing, and was flying in a nose-up attitude. The flight instructor reported that he saw the accident airplane stall and suddenly roll to the right. It then entered a vertical nose-down dive and impacted terrain. The flight instructor and witnesses reported that there was an immediate explosion and postimpact fire. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 38, held an FAA private pilot certificate issued on December 4, 2012, with a rating in only airplane single engine land. He also held an unrestricted FAA third-class medical certificate, which was issued on August 6, 2012.

The pilot's personal logbooks were not available for examination by the NTSB during the course of the investigation. Based on a review of copies of partial pilot logbook entries, FAA documents, and statements from witnesses and other persons, the pilot's total flight experience on February 1, 2014, was estimated as a total of 527 hours in all aircraft, which included about 100 hours of pilot experience in a P-51 Mustang, and no previous experience in a Hawker Sea Fury airplane. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe low-wing, retractable conventional landing gear, single seat, single-engine airplane, manufacturer's serial number (s/n) 37536, was built in 1956 by Hawker Aircraft Limited.

It was originally powered by a 2,480 horsepower Bristol Centaurus 18-cylinder radial engine, and then had a maximum takeoff weight of 14,650 pounds and a listed maximum speed of 400 knots, which made it one of the fastest production single engine piston fighters ever built.

After being imported to the United States in 1976 the airplane had been extensively modified. In 1989, it was issued an FAA airworthiness certificate in the experimental exhibition category.

At the time of the accident the airplane was powered by a 2,800 horsepower Wright R-3350-26WD "Duplex Cyclone" 18-cylinder engine, with a displacement of 3,350 cubic inches. The geared nose case of the R-3350-26WD engine had an output gear ratio of 0.4375:1 which provided a propeller rpm of 1,225 at an engine rpm of 2,800.

The engine drove a 13 foot 6 inch diameter Aero Products A642 –G805 four-blade propeller which had a blade angle range of 40 degrees, from 27.5 degrees at low angle to 67.5 degrees at high angle. The hollow steel propeller blades were controlled by a doughnut-shaped hydraulic propeller regulator unit mounted on the propeller aft of the propeller hub and forward of the engine nose case.

Aircraft maintenance logbooks could not be located during the course of the investigation. Based on interviews with persons at the scene the accident pilot was probably carrying the maintenance logbooks inside the cockpit of the accident airplane and the maintenance logbooks were most likely consumed in the postimpact fire.

Based on FAA records and records from the Inspection Authority mechanic, the accident airplane had completed a satisfactory annual condition inspection on February 7, 2014. The flight times on that date were estimated as an aircraft total time of 2,102.2 hours, and estimated engine and propeller total times of 902.2 hours. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONAt 1630 the Automated Surface Observation System at BKD reported wind from 260 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 18 knots, visibility 7 miles, clear of clouds, temperature 30 degrees Celsius (C), dew point 7 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 29.83 inches of mercury.

Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration showed that, at the accident location, at 1638, the altitude of the sun was about 20 degrees above the horizon and the azimuth of the sun was about 241 degrees. Apparent sunset occurred at 1824. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe low-wing, retractable conventional landing gear, single seat, single-engine airplane, manufacturer's serial number (s/n) 37536, was built in 1956 by Hawker Aircraft Limited.

It was originally powered by a 2,480 horsepower Bristol Centaurus 18-cylinder radial engine, and then had a maximum takeoff weight of 14,650 pounds and a listed maximum speed of 400 knots, which made it one of the fastest production single engine piston fighters ever built.

After being imported to the United States in 1976 the airplane had been extensively modified. In 1989, it was issued an FAA airworthiness certificate in the experimental exhibition category.

At the time of the accident the airplane was powered by a 2,800 horsepower Wright R-3350-26WD "Duplex Cyclone" 18-cylinder engine, with a displacement of 3,350 cubic inches. The geared nose case of the R-3350-26WD engine had an output gear ratio of 0.4375:1 which provided a propeller rpm of 1,225 at an engine rpm of 2,800.

The engine drove a 13 foot 6 inch diameter Aero Products A642 –G805 four-blade propeller which had a blade angle range of 40 degrees, from 27.5 degrees at low angle to 67.5 degrees at high angle. The hollow steel propeller blades were controlled by a doughnut-shaped hydraulic propeller regulator unit mounted on the propeller aft of the propeller hub and forward of the engine nose case.

Aircraft maintenance logbooks could not be located during the course of the investigation. Based on interviews with persons at the scene the accident pilot was probably carrying the maintenance logbooks inside the cockpit of the accident airplane and the maintenance logbooks were most likely consumed in the postimpact fire.

Based on FAA records and records from the Inspection Authority mechanic, the accident airplane had completed a satisfactory annual condition inspection on February 7, 2014. The flight times on that date were estimated as an aircraft total time of 2,102.2 hours, and estimated engine and propeller total times of 902.2 hours. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe wreckage was located on dirt and rocky terrain in a remote wooded area at an estimated elevation of about 1,250 feet msl about 1 mile southeast from BKD. Evidence at the scene showed the airplane impacted in a nearly vertical nose-down attitude. There was evidence of a postimpact fire which thermally damaged most of the vegetation within a diameter of more than 100 feet.

The initial impact crater was about 1 foot deep and about 5 feet in diameter. The completely separated front section of the engine was found upright on the southeast edge of the impact crater. The propeller hub remained attached to the engine's propeller shaft and two blades of the propeller remained attached to the propeller hub. The other two blades were completely impact separated from the hub, but were found adjacent to the engine and impact crater. The propeller blades showed evidence of leading edge impact damage and showed evidence of chordwise smearing on the blade faces. Broken tree limbs almost directly above the separated engine had impact damage which corresponded to the damage to several of the propeller blades. Broken tree branches from those overhead limbs littered the area. Dirt and rock ejecta from the crater was found mostly to the east and within about 30 feet from the crater.

The engine was examined on-scene and the engine oil filter was removed from the wreckage and disassembled. The examination of the engine oil filter showed no evidence of preaccident contamination.

The completely separated outer portion of the right wing was located about 20 feet to the north-northwest from the impact crater. The upright right wing had impact damage which corresponded to damage on adjacent trees. The right aileron remained attached to its attach points.

The completely separated wing, including the spars, right flap, both flap actuators, both main landing gear, and the left aileron were located upright about 45 feet east from the initial im...