N4184G

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 5, 2023, about 1206 mountain daylight time, a Nanchang China CJ-6A airplane, N4184G, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Peyton, Colorado. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

Several witnesses reported observing the accident airplane and another airplane of similar make and model perform low passes and maneuvers together in the vicinity of the Meadow Lake Airport (FLY), Colorado Springs, Colorado.

According to the pilot of the lead airplane, he and the accident pilot were performing an honor flight at the conclusion of a retirement ceremony, which they had discussed the day before. The lead pilot stated that, on the morning of the accident, they briefed the honor flight and completed a practice flight, which included station keeping, overhead breaks, and practice maneuvers. The lead pilot reported that the initial flight of the day went “really well.” He said there was nothing noteworthy regarding that flight, and he knew of no anomalies with the accident airplane.

After a 1-hour break between flights, the lead pilot and the accident pilot taxied their airplanes past the ceremony and completed a preflight run-up for the honor flight. After announcing their intentions over the airport common traffic advisory frequency (CTAF), they departed about 1155. The lead airplane departed first, followed by the accident airplane. After joining up, they returned and executed an overhead pattern with a break. They departed to the east and then returned for a second overhead pattern and a break. Afterward, they completed two low passes, pulled up, and planned to return for one final low pass. The lead pilot reported that they did not perform any aerobatic maneuvers during the honor flight.

A witness who was performing an instructional flight in the traffic pattern reported that, while she was on left downwind for runway 15, she saw the lead airplane perform a low pass down the runway, and the second airplane was ahead of her on the left base. As she transitioned her flight to left base, she observed the second airplane pitch up near vertical and perform an aileron roll, then enter a spin. As the airplane descended in a spin, it passed under her airplane about 500-700 ft above ground level then impacted the ground. She stated that there were no spacing issues between the two airplanes and her flight.

The lead pilot stated that he did not observe the accident but heard a pilot in a Cessna 172 report it over the CTAF. The lead pilot overflew the area but could not locate the accident site and ultimately landed. He stated that the other airplane in the traffic pattern did not affect the honor flight at all.

A witness at the airport reported that he observed the accident airplane pitch up and bank left about 60° to 90° as it transitioned from base to final approach. The airplane then entered a right spin and made one to two revolutions before it impacted the ground. Another witness near the accident site stated the airplane was in a right-banked, nose-down descent, and its engine was “loud” as it descended below the tree line.

Review of the ADS-B data provided by the FAA revealed that both the lead and accident airplanes broadcast data during the first flight. The data showed that during the practice flight, they performed a series of relatively uniformed maneuvers about 15 miles northeast of the airport then returned and performed two passes over runway 15 with turns to the left. During the second flight, the lead airplane’s data showed a series of non-uniformed passes over the runway with turns to the left, and one turn to the right about 1/2-mile northwest of the approach end of runway 15. There was no ADS-B data received from the accident airplane during the second flight. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot’s logbook was not recovered, and he did not report any civil flight hours during his FAA medical examination in 2017. The pilot was a member of the Red Star Pilots Association (RSPA). According to RSPA, he completed wingman ground school on September 16, 2021, and an air show operations quiz on September 18, 2021. On the wingman application, the pilot checked the qualification box verifying that that he had at least 350 hours of flight time and at least 10 hours of formation time within the previous 2 years.

According to the FAA medical case report, the pilot’s last aviation medical examination was in October 2017. The pilot reported no medications or medical conditions at that time, although he had previously reported diabetes controlled with diet and exercise and had been issued a Letter of Eligibility for this condition in November 2015. His medical certificate subsequently expired. The pilot completed a BasicMed Course and reported completing a BasicMed Comprehensive Medical Examination Checklist, both in September 2019. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATIONThe airplane’s main wreckage was located in front of a residence about 1 mile northeast of the approach end of runway 15. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane’s first point of impact was a ground scar that contained fragments of the right wing. The second point was a ground scar that contained sections of the lower forward fuselage skin. Abrasions and broken tree limbs were noted to a tree on the bank of a pond. The separated left wing and sections of fuselage were observed in the vicinity of the tree.

The main wreckage came to rest on a southeast heading about 158 ft from the initial impact area and about 75 ft and across the pond from the damaged tree. The engine, propeller, and about 5 ft of the inboard right wing were recovered from the pond. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. All major components of the airplane were located at the accident location.

Examination revealed that the left and right wings exhibited impact damage and were separated from the fuselage. The right aileron remained attached to its mounts, and the left aileron was impact separated from the wing. The aileron control rods were impact separated at various locations of both wings. Impact damage was noted to the empennage structure. Rudder and elevator control continuity was established from the cockpit to the flight control surfaces. The left and right wing fuel tanks were breached from impact forces. About 10 gallons of fuel was recovered from the left fuel tank and was found to be clear of debris. No anomalies were noted to the fuel system.

The engine was impact separated from the airframe, and its engine mount was fragmented. The propeller assembly and a portion of the engine’s planetary gear section were separated. Both propeller blades exhibited S-bending and chordwise abrasions, and the propeller hub exhibited torsional deformation. No preaccident anomalies were observed to the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONTitle 14 CFR 91.3039(e) states that no person may operate an aircraft in aerobatic flight below an altitude of 1,500 ft above the surface. The regulation defines aerobatic flight as “an intentional maneuver involving an abrupt change in an aircraft’s attitude, an abnormal attitude, or abnormal acceleration, not necessary for normal flight.” MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATIONThe El Paso County Coroner performed an autopsy on the pilot. The cause of death was determined to be from multiple blunt force injuries, and his manner of death was accident.

Postmortem toxicological testing performed by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory measured a hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) of 12% in cavity blood and a urine glucose of 803 mg/dL.

HbA1c is an indirect measure of a person’s average blood sugar over about the preceding 3 months. An HbA1c of 6.5% or higher indicates diabetes. For a person with diabetes, HbA1c of less than 7% generally indicates good diabetes control. An HbA1c of 12% corresponds to an estimated average blood sugar of about 300 mg/dL over the preceding few months. Generally, a person’s blood sugar varies throughout the day in response to multiple factors. In many adults with diabetes, target peak blood sugar after eating is less than 180 mg/dL.

Glucose in random fresh urine normally is 25 mg/dL or less. It may increase due to high blood glucose or altered kidney function. Urine glucose is raised by high blood glucose only if the blood glucose surpasses a certain threshold, which varies among individuals, but which typically is significantly higher than normal blood glucose. The FAA toxicology laboratory considers postmortem urine glucose above 100 mg/dL to be abnormal. TESTS AND RESEARCHA Sentry Plus portable ADS-B and GPS receiver was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the NTSB Recorders Laboratory for data recovery. Examination revealed that the device sustained impact damage, and its internal microSD card, which would store track log data, was absent. Therefore, no data were recovered from the device.