N42BR

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 23, 2015, about 0921 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Turbine Legend, N42BR, collided with trees and a pond about 1.2 nautical miles (nm) west of Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE), West Columbia, South Carolina. The airplane was destroyed and the commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was registered to BR Legend, LLC and privately operated. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight, which originated about 7 minutes earlier from CAE, and was destined for Asheville Regional Airport (AVL), Asheville, North Carolina.

Air traffic control (ATC) radar and voice communication information indicated that the pilot was cleared to taxi to runway 11 and was provided a VFR clearance. He subsequently contacted the local controller and advised he was ready to depart. At 0913:27, the controller cleared the flight for takeoff and instructed the pilot to turn left heading 050°, which he acknowledged. Shortly after takeoff, ATC communications were transferred to departure control.

The flight was radar-identified at 0914:56, and the pilot was instructed to turn left on course toward the destination airport. The pilot acknowledged the transmission and proceeded in a north-northwesterly direction until 0917:26, at which time the airplane turned left from its on-course heading and continued to climb. At 0917:56, the pilot declared a mayday, advising the controller that he, "…lost ah my engine." About this time, the airplane was 6.8 nm from the approach end of runway 11 and about 6,500 ft mean sea level (msl). Immediately after the mayday call, the controller asked what aircraft was declaring an emergency, to which pilot replied with the partial call sign and that he was, "trying to make it back to the field." Following the mayday transmission, the pilot turned to a southerly heading.

The controller advised the pilot to enter the left base leg of the airport traffic pattern for runway 11, provided the altimeter setting, and indicated the wind was calm. Coordination between the Radar North controller and the local controller occurred, and at 0918:41, the Radar North controller advised the pilot that CAE was at his 10-to-9 o'clock position and 6 miles, and asked him if the airport was in sight, but the pilot did not reply. About 10 seconds later, the Radar North controller inquired, "and uh 42BR Columbia" to which the pilot replied, "Roger I have it in sight I think I can make it." The controller then instructed the pilot to make a straight-in approach to runway 11, and about 0919:02, the pilot advised the controller that he "…lost my fuel pressure."

The pilot was cleared to land twice; however, he did not reply to either clearance, nor did he establish contact with the local controller. At 0921:06, the Radar North controller asked the local controller if she could see the airplane, to which the local controller responded that the airplane was on short final and she was giving the green light-gun signal to land.

Witnesses reported seeing the airplane impact trees and then a pond; they did not hear any sound from the engine. Three witnesses saw the airplane bank left, and one of those said the airplane pitched up just before it struck the tree. None of the witnesses saw any smoke or fire trailing the airplane. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot, age 85, held a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, and instrument airplane. He was issued a second-class medical certificate on February 5, 2015, with a limitation requiring the use of corrective lenses. On the application for his last medical certificate, the pilot reported 10,000 hours total flight experience. Based on maintenance records, it was estimated that the pilot had accumulated about 430 hours in the accident airplane.

Family members reported that the pilot was in excellent health and did not take any medication. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane was manufactured in 2003. The special airworthiness certificate was issued by an FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR), who also assisted the pilot with building a portion of the airplane. It was powered by a Walters M601D turbine engine that was equipped with a three-bladed Avia V508E-AG/99B/A constant speed, variable pitch, manual feathering, dual-acting, hydraulically-controlled propeller. Propeller blade angle was controlled from the cockpit by a lever that connected via cable to a dual-acting propeller governor, although the feathering circuit at the propeller governor was blanked off with a plate and not available. The airplane was not equipped with an electrically-actuated feathering pump. Although propeller counterweights helped to increase pitch of the propeller blades in the event of oil system failure, they were ineffective in feathering the blades when the propeller was spinning at low rpm due to insufficient centrifugal force generated.

According to the engine maintenance records, the last condition inspection in accordance with the FAA-Approved Turbine Legend Maintenance and Inspection Program was completed on November 29, 2014 at an airplane total time of 428.2 hours. Further review of the maintenance records revealed no entry related to removal of a feathering pump or installation of a plate on the feathering pump circuit at the propeller governor.

The airplane's fuel system consisted of one integral fuel tank spanning the entire length of the wing, with a fuel filler cap at each wingtip; the standard tank configuration held about 100 gallons. Fuel was gravity-fed from each wing into a sump located on the bottom surface of the wing on the airplane centerline. Attached to the outlet fitting of the sump tank was a manually-activated shutoff valve, which connected via aluminum tubing and a flexible hose to an electrically-controlled auxiliary fuel pump. The outlet of the auxiliary fuel pump connected via a flexible hose to a canister fitted with a pleated paper element and a "T" fitting for reading fuel pressure, then via a flexible hose from the filter to the engine-driven fuel pump. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe 0856 surface observation at CAE indicated wind variable at 3 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, and clear skies. The temperature and dew point were 19 and 12° C, respectively, and the altimeter setting was 30.39 inches of mercury. AIRPORT INFORMATIONThe airplane was manufactured in 2003. The special airworthiness certificate was issued by an FAA Designated Airworthiness Representative (DAR), who also assisted the pilot with building a portion of the airplane. It was powered by a Walters M601D turbine engine that was equipped with a three-bladed Avia V508E-AG/99B/A constant speed, variable pitch, manual feathering, dual-acting, hydraulically-controlled propeller. Propeller blade angle was controlled from the cockpit by a lever that connected via cable to a dual-acting propeller governor, although the feathering circuit at the propeller governor was blanked off with a plate and not available. The airplane was not equipped with an electrically-actuated feathering pump. Although propeller counterweights helped to increase pitch of the propeller blades in the event of oil system failure, they were ineffective in feathering the blades when the propeller was spinning at low rpm due to insufficient centrifugal force generated.

According to the engine maintenance records, the last condition inspection in accordance with the FAA-Approved Turbine Legend Maintenance and Inspection Program was completed on November 29, 2014 at an airplane total time of 428.2 hours. Further review of the maintenance records revealed no entry related to removal of a feathering pump or installation of a plate on the feathering pump circuit at the propeller governor.

The airplane's fuel system consisted of one integral fuel tank spanning the entire length of the wing, with a fuel filler cap at each wingtip; the standard tank configuration held about 100 gallons. Fuel was gravity-fed from each wing into a sump located on the bottom surface of the wing on the airplane centerline. Attached to the outlet fitting of the sump tank was a manually-activated shutoff valve, which connected via aluminum tubing and a flexible hose to an electrically-controlled auxiliary fuel pump. The outlet of the auxiliary fuel pump connected via a flexible hose to a canister fitted with a pleated paper element and a "T" fitting for reading fuel pressure, then via a flexible hose from the filter to the engine-driven fuel pump. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane crashed in a pond located adjacent to houses in a residential area. The wreckage was recovered and transferred to a hangar located at Lexington County Airport at Pelion (6J0), Pelion, South Carolina.

According to first responders and FAA personnel, the empennage was partially submerged in the water and was in an inverted position, with the airplane's nose on a magnetic heading of 032°. The wreckage location was about 1.24 nm and 279° from the approach end of runway 11 and about 600 ft south of the runway's final approach path.

Further examination of the accident site area revealed no damage to unmarked powerlines located adjacent to the pond. A strong smell of jet fuel and fuel sheen were noted on the west end of the pond. Damage to the top of a pine tree was noted about 70 ft above ground level; the top of the tree was observed in the water adjacent to the tree. Pieces of curved acrylic material were at the base of the tree, and pieces of composite material were in the water at the west end of the pond. There was no evidence of any tree limbs cut by the propeller blades.

Examination of the wreckage following recovery accounted for all primary and secondary flight controls. The one-piece wing was separated from the impact...