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radar return was received at 20:39:36. Three minutes later, the controllers were notified by police that an airplane had crashed into a building. 

One witness reported that the airplane was flying at an altitude of about 500 feet above ground level (AGL) in a southeast direction when it made “a slight right turn, then a slight left turn, then a sharp right turn, then descended in what appeared to be in excess of 30° nose down.” A second witness observed the airplane at an altitude of less than 100 feet AGL “in an excessive nose-down attitude towards the ground.” Both witnesses reported that a large post-impact fire erupted. 

The pilot, seated in the right front seat, held a commercial pilot certificate with airplane single- and multi-engine land and instrument ratings. Additionally, he held a flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane ratings. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot had accumulated a total flight time of over 1,400 hours. The passenger, who was seated in the left front seat, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating. Records indicated the passenger was 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighed 231 pounds. [Figure 6-2] 

The airplane was constructed by its manufacturer as a prototype for an experimental amateur-built kit and was issued a special airworthiness certificate in the category of experimental research and development. Material examination of the engine and propeller indicated no pre-accident discrepancies, and all major structures were 

accounted for. It was not possible to assess control continuity due to impact and subsequent fire. 

Upon interview, representatives of the manufacturer indicated that the original pilot (left) seat in the airplane was replaced by the owner about a month prior to the accident with a six- way power seat from an automobile. [Figure 6-3]  It was installed to accommodate customer requests for an adjustable seat. This seat incorporated three motors that facilitated the six-way movement of the seat. In its original automotive installation, it was wired using a 30-amp circuit breaker for protection; if any motor failed, the automobile circuit would trip. As installed in the automobile, if the breaker did not trip, the switch itself would fail. The seat was installed in the airplane with a 5-amp circuit breaker, but shortly after installation, it was noted that a larger person in the left seat would trip the circuit breaker and the motors became hot. 

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