N804RLJon S Thocker VANS RV-8 · 2017

On October 12, 2018, about 2000 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Vans RV-8, N804RL, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident in Culpeper, Virginia. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 airshow flight.

The accident airplane was part of aerobatic team of two RV-8 airplanes that were participating in the Culpeper Air Fest airshow. The accident airplane was the trailing airplane. The airplanes were fitted with streamer-type fireworks that trailed from each airplane throughout the demonstration, as well as 12 pairs of flare-type fireworks, which were discharged periodically during the routine.

According to the pilot in the lead airplane, they departed Cincinnati, Ohio, around 1000 on the morning of the accident and arrived at Culpeper Regional Airport (CJR) at 1150. They rigged the fireworks and prepared the airplanes for the airshow. They finished about 1600 and waited in the fixed base operator until the night portion of the airshow began. The lead pilot stated that they had flown the night show routine on three occasions during the previous 30 days. He added that the team had performed in darkness previously but, "this one was a little bit on the darker side," so they elected to fly at 700 ft above ground level (agl) instead of their usual 500 ft agl. The lead pilot further reported that he was always in front, and as the maneuvers progressed, the airplanes would get farther apart. The flight sequence was planned to last about 5 minutes, and the airplanes were performing a double aileron roll maneuver in the middle of the routine when the accident occurred.

Video footage of the accident showed both airplanes performing the double aileron roll maneuver with the accident airplane in trail behind the lead airplane. After completing the maneuver, the lead airplane began to climb. The accident airplane completed its second aileron roll to the inverted position but did not continue the roll to an upright position and instead entered an inverted dive, which continued until the airplane impacted terrain.

Astronomical data from the United States Naval Observatory indicated that sunset was at 1838, and the end of civil twilight was at 1905. At the time of the accident, both the sun and moon were more than 14° below the horizon.

The airplane came to rest inverted about 300 ft from the end of runway 22. The wreckage was in a 5-ft-deep crater on a 22° magnetic heading; the wreckage was severely fragmented and deformed. All flight control surfaces were found at the accident site. The fuselage was crushed and the main wing spar remained attached to the fuselage. The cockpit and instrument panel were destroyed by impact forces. Flight control continuity was established throughout the flight control systems.

An examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

According to excerpts of the FAA Airplane Flying Handbook, FAA-H-8083-3, Chapter 10:

Night flying requires that pilots be aware of, and operate within, their abilities and limitations. Although careful planning of any flight is essential, night flying demands more attention to the details of preflight preparation and planning. Night flying is very different from day flying and demands more attention of the pilot. The most noticeable difference is the limited availability of outside visual references. Therefore, flight instruments should be used to a greater degree in controlling the airplane. Even on clear nights, the stars may be reflected on the water surface, which could appear as a continuous array of lights, thus making the horizon difficult to identify.

The Department of Health, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, Northern Virginia District, performed an autopsy on the pilot. His cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries.

Toxicology testing performed at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide and drugs. Testing identified ethanol at 0.017 gm/dl in liver and 0.021 gm/dl muscle. Ethanol may also be produced in body tissues by microbial activity after death.