Fantasy Air Sro ALLEGRO 2007 N969RC accident near Eureka, Utah

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during initial climb, which resulted in an in-flight upset and impact with terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot departed from a local airport and proceeded to land on a road where, according to acquaintances, the pilot frequently landed to hike in the surrounding area. Flight track data show that the airplane departed from the road a little over an hour after landing and subsequently impacted terrain about a minute later. The wreckage was later located in a field adjacent to the road.

A nearby landowner stated that airplanes occasionally land on the road, though he did not observe the airplane on the day of the accident, and noted that dust devils were a common occurrence in the area. The investigation could not determine whether the pilot obtained a weather briefing before the flight.

Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a preexisting mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. However, a flight control locking device was found about 22 ft from the airplane's right wing, raising the possibility that the airplane departed with the control lock installed. The airplane’s co-owner reported that the accident pilot had a history of sometimes omitting the preflight inspection. It is possible that the pilot omitted a departure preflight inspection and left the flight control locking device in place.

The pilot had severe cardiovascular disease that placed him at increased risk for an impairing or incapacitating cardiac event, including chest pain, arrhythmia, or myocardial infarction. Although the autopsy found no evidence of such an event, cardiac arrhythmias and other acute cardiac conditions may not leave definitive postmortem findings when they occur immediately before death. While a pacemaker may record arrhythmias, the autopsy report did not indicate that the pilot's pacemaker was interrogated to evaluate device function or detect arrhythmias. The autopsy and toxicology findings also suggested a likely history of heart failure, a condition commonly associated with fatigue; however, heart failure was not specifically documented in the available medical records.

Toxicology testing detected citalopram, an antidepressant medication, in the pilot's system. Based on the available evidence, it could not be determined whether the pilot was experiencing impairment from an underlying condition, such as depression, or adverse effects associated with his unreported citalopram use.

The presence of frequent localized wind events, commonly referred to as dust devils, may have influenced the pilot to expedite his departure during a perceived lull between wind events. In doing so, the pilot likely inadvertently omitted the removal of the airplane's flight control locking device. During the departure, any wind-induced displacement of the wing from a level attitude would have left the pilot with limited ability to correct roll deviations as the aircraft ascended. Compounding the situation was the pilot's underlying medical condition and associated propensity for a cardiac event, which may have further degraded his ability to respond effectively to the developing emergency.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR24FA227 for the full record.