N6366M

On June 2, 2022, about 1130 Pacific daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Hornet, N6366M, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lucerne Valley, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

Automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the pilot departed Big Bear Lake City Airport (L35), Big Bear, California, about 1115 and maneuvered to the north towards Lucerne Valley, California, south of California Highway 247. The airplane traveled east while performing aerobatic maneuvers, and then proceeded west. The last recorded data point was located about 1 mile east of the accident site and indicated an altitude about 2,725 ft agl, and groundspeed of 108 knots (kts). See figure 1.

Figure 1. View of ADS-B data plot over Google Earth map

A witness stated that he saw the airplane performing inverted maneuvers, steep climbing rolls, and barrel rolls. He stated that, before the accident, the airplane entered a “barrel roll climb,” followed by a “stall,” after which it entered an inverted, nose-down “dive.” The airplane then rolled upright but continued the nose-down descent with wings level before descending out of his sight behind trees. Shortly after, the witness heard a loud “thud” and notified emergency services.

The airplane impacted a dirt field within a residential property 10 nautical miles north of L35 at an elevation of 3,000 ft mean sea level (msl). The wreckage debris path was about 200 ft long and oriented on a magnetic heading of 280°. Figure 2 shows the highly fragmented wreckage and debris path, consistent with a high energy impact.

Figure 2. View of main wreckage site

The airplane came to rest on top of a chain-link fence on a magnetic heading of about 360°. The first point of impact (FPI) was identified by a 10 ft long, 6 ft wide, and 2 ft deep crater and a damaged statue. The FPI contained pieces of the right wing, right aileron, wooden propeller, and fuel lines. Ground scars at the accident site and damage to the airplane were consistent with the airplane impacting terrain in a steep, nose-down and right-wing-low attitude. There was no evidence of post-impact fire, but the odor of fuel was present at the site. All major structural components of the airplane were located within the debris field.

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies. Though the engine sustained significant impact damage, there were no signatures or conditions observed consistent with any preimpact catastrophic mechanical malfunctions to the rotating group, valvetrain, or accessory section.

A Flight Data Systems GT-50 instrument was recovered from the airplane. The device is capable of storing maximum and minimum acceleration (g), but due to impact damage the instrument was inoperable, and no data was recovered. The L35 airport manager reported that the pilot was well versed in aerobatic maneuvers, to include experience in high “G” maneuvers from his time in military aircraft and time in general aviation aerobatic airplanes. He stated that the pilot would fly north over the desert for about 30-45 minutes four or five times a week performing aerobatic maneuvers.

The pilot’s autopsy was performed by a pathologist contracted by the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, Coroner Division, San Bernardino, California. According to the pilot’s autopsy report and a supplemental report from the Office of the Sheriff/Coroner, the pilot’s cause of death was instantaneous blunt force injuries, and his manner of death was accidental.

The Federal Aviation Administration's Forensic Sciences Laboratory performed toxicological tests on specimens recovered from the pilot. The pilot’s postmortem toxicological testing did not detect any ethanol or drugs.