# Accident 19990522023909A: Amtr TITANTORNADO, Ashboro, NC, May 22, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 22, 1999, 14:50 local time - Place: Ashboro, NC - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 35.8503° N, 79.5709° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8503&lon=-79.5709&mi=10 - Aircraft: N624RF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N624RF-1999-08-11) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Ferrell Robert W II TITAN TORNADO II 2PL (registry code 05604B4, https://openairdocs.org/model/ferrell-robert-w-ii-titan-tornado-ii-2pl) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR TITANTORNADO - Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX582 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 366 total, 112 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL99LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA093) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990522023909A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MAY 22, 1999, AT 1450 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A ROBERT W. FARRELL, TITAN TORNADO II, N624RF, COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE AND A MAILBOX DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A ROAD NEAR ASHBORO, NORTH CAROLINA AFTER AN ENGINE FAILURE. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 WITH NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, AT 1300 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT LIBERTY, NORTH CAROLINA, WAS THE FLIGHT'S DESTINATION. THE PILOT STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 24 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION, HE NOTICED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY BETWEEN HIS POSITION AND HIS DESTINATION. AT THAT POINT, THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE AND ELECTED TO LAND AT AN AIRPORT THAT HE HAD FLOWN OVER MOMENTS BEFORE. AFTER THE PILOT EXECUTED AN 180-DEGREE TURN, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT DECIDED TO ATTEMPT AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A NEARBY PAVED ROAD. DURING LANDING, ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE APPLIED FULL BRAKES AND TRIED TO STOP THE AIRPLANE BEFORE COMING TO A SHARP C URVE IN THE ROAD. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE "DROPPED A WHEEL OFF TO THE RIGHT OF THE ROAD, HOPING TO SLOW DOWN IN THE GRASS." THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED THE ROAD, COLLIDING WITH A TELEPHONE POLE AND A MAILBOX, AND ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE. (.4) THE PILOT STATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 24 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION, HE NOTICED AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY BETWEEN HIS POSITION AND HIS DESTINATION. THE PILOT REVERSED COURSE AND ELECTED TO LAND AT AN AIRPORT THAT HE HAD FLOWN OVER MOMENTS BEFORE. DURING THE COURSE REVERSAL THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE AND A MAIL AS THE PILOT ATTEMPTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A NEARBY PAVED ROAD. THE POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE ENGINE ASSEMBLY FAILED TO DISCLOSE A MECHANICAL PROBLEM. DURING THE ENGINE EXAMINATION, FUEL WAS TRACED FROM THE FUEL TANK TO THE CARBURETOR. SEVERAL GALLONS OF AVIATION FUEL WERE RECOVERED FROM THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE INTERNAL EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED THAT THE PISTON TOPS WERE CLEAN, AND A FILM OF ENGINE OIL WAS ON THE CYLINDER WALLS. ENGINE DRIVE TRAIN ROTATION WAS ALSO ESTABLISHED. A REVIEW OF WEATHER DATA DISCLOSED THAT WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE FAVO RABLE FOR THE FORMATION OF CARBURETOR ICE. (-23)PILOT STATED THAT HE SAW SOME WEATHER IN FRONT OF HIM AND CALLED FLIGHT WATCH & DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND LAND AT ASHEBORO TO WAIT OUT THE STORM. DURING THE TURN THE ENGINE QUIT. PILOT LANDED ON A ROAD, BUT RAN OFF OF STRAIGHT ROAD. WHEN APPROACHING THE CURVE IN THE ROAD, PILOT LET RIGHT WHEEL LEAVE HARD SURFACE CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO PULL ITSELF INTO A DITCH. AIRCRAFT CAME IN CONTACT WITH A TELEPHONE POLE AND SPUN AROUND CAUSING THE FUSELAGE TO ROLL OVER ON IT'S SIDE. NO INJURIES. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB ATL99LA093](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL99LA093), May 22, 1999: Robert W. Ferrell Titan Tornado II (N624RF), Ashboro, NC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were weather conditions favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.