N50JHGolden Circle Air T-BIRD TANDEM TBT-06

On July 11, 2020, about 1647 eastern daylight time, a Golden Circle Air T-Bird Tandem TBT-06 airplane, N50JH, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Grosse Ile, Michigan. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

A witness, a helicopter pilot who was preparing to take off from the Gross Ile Municipal Airport (ONZ), reported that about 1600, he observed the airplane, which he described as an amphibious ultralight, taxi out from between the hangars at ONZ and begin its takeoff roll to the south on taxiway C. The airplane pilot did not make a radio call announcing his departure. The helicopter pilot aborted his takeoff and, as he hovered, continued to watch the airplane. According to the helicopter pilot, the airport was reporting wind from the northwest at greater than 20 knots. The helicopter pilot stated that due to the strong quartering tailwind, when the airplane lifted off the ground, it immediately yawed about 30° to the right and drifted to the right of the taxiway centerline, striking a taxiway marker light on the west (right) side of taxiway C near the intersection with taxiway E. The airplane continued its departure on a heading of about 210°, and the helicopter pilot took off and lost sight of the airplane. The witness expressed the opinion that the pilot was flying "dangerously" and that the wind conditions were too strong and variable for a safe flight in the airplane.

At 1637, another witness was in a parking lot about 2 miles north of the airport when he received a cell phone call from his brother who told him the airplane was overhead flying southbound. A few minutes later, the witness saw the airplane flying southbound between 300 and 400 ft above ground level (agl) at a 20° right crab angle. He saw only one person on board sitting in the front seat. The landing gear was down, and the engine rpm remained constant. It appeared to the witness that the airplane was slowly descending.

A third witness near the accident site, which was located about 1/2 mile south of the airport, saw the airplane flying about 200 to 300 ft agl over a residential area. He said the wind was getting stronger, and it appeared the pilot was having difficulty gaining altitude and maintaining stability. The witness said, "The winds were around 15 mph at ground level, and possibly stronger gusts higher up. The plane looked to be getting tossed around a bit and was not very stable when banking south. The motor also sounded like it was straining and at one point went full throttle."

Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors were told by Grosse Ile Police Department personnel that witnesses near the accident site reported hearing the airplane’s engine “sputtering” and making a “revving” sound. Police personnel also reported that one witness heard the engine sound and caught a glimpse of the airplane as its right wing impacted a tree in his neighbor’s yard. The airplane came to rest inverted at the base of the tree.

No evidence was found that the pilot had received any formal flight training. He did not hold an FAA pilot certificate. According to the pilot’s son, this was likely the pilot’s second or third flight in the airplane.

FAA inspectors interviewed the pilot's son, who told them that he and his father had researched available airplanes to own together. They located the airplane in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. While the son was out of town, the father drove to North Carolina, purchased the airplane, and trucked it home. The son reassembled the airplane for his father. On the day of the accident, the father went flying in the airplane without telling the family. According to the FAA inspectors, the pilot and his son thought they were buying an ultralight aircraft, not a certificated airplane.

Wind conditions around the time of the accident were recorded at 290° to 320° between 9 and 14 knots with the highest gust of 22 knots recorded at 1515.

FAA inspectors interviewed the pilot's son, who told them that he and his father had researched available airplanes to own together. They located the airplane in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. While the son was out of town, the father drove to North Carolina, purchased the airplane, and trucked it home. The son reassembled the airplane for his father. On the day of the accident, the father went flying in the airplane without telling the family. According to the FAA inspectors, the pilot and his son thought they were buying an ultralight aircraft, not a certificated airplane.

FAA inspectors examined the wreckage and reported that both wings and the fuselage were crushed aft. The front-seat control stick was found disconnected from the control system; it was not seated in the socket that attached to the control bellcrank assembly. The socket was undeformed, and the bolt that should have retained the front stick in the socket was missing and was not located in the wreckage. The bolt holes showed no signs of deformation or stress. The rear-seat control stick was properly restrained by a bolt.

According to first responders, immediately after impact, gas was draining from the airplane, and the electric fuel pump was still operating and audible. FAA inspectors found that the fuel line had separated from the bottom of the fuel tank on impact, and only a small quantity of fuel remained. Other fuel lines were intact and contained fuel. The fuel strainer was full. Fuel samples were taken from the strainer and the bottom of the tank. The fuel was clear and contained no visible water or contaminants. An examination of the engine by an FAA inspector revealed no preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.

According to the autopsy report from the Wayne County Medical Examiner, Detroit, Michigan, the pilot’s death was caused by multiple injuries sustained in the accident. Except for moderate stenosis in his left anterior descending coronary artery (50%) and moderate atherosclerosis of his aorta, no significant natural disease was identified.

Toxicology testing performed for the medical examiner’s office detected the stimulant amphetamine at 440 nanograms per milliliter (ng/mL), the anti-anxiety benzodiazepine diazepam at 280 ng/mL, and its metabolite nordiazepam at 290 ng/mL in the pilot’s peripheral blood. The laboratory also reported that the pilot’s urine screened positive for amphetamine and benzodiazepines.

FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory toxicology testing detected amphetamine in the pilot’s cavity blood at 315 ng/mL and urine. Diazepam at 268 ng/mL and its psychoactive metabolites nordiazepam at 330 ng/mL and oxazepam were detected in the pilot’s cavity blood. These compounds and another psychoactive metabolite of diazepam, temazepam, were also all detected in the pilot’s urine. The antidepressant citalopram was detected in the pilot’s cavity blood at 33 ng/mL and urine; its active metabolite n-desmethylcitalopram was also detected in his cavity blood and urine. The sedating antihistamine diphenhydramine was detected in the pilot’s urine, but not in his cavity blood.