20031018032729A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr M18X · Pana, IL · October 18, 2003

Date: October 18, 2003 · 12:37 local
Place: Pana, IL
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N53TW
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI04LA016
Reported as: Amtr M18X
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,152 total

N53TWRegistration cancelled Nov 4, 2013 · Oostdik Thomas W MOONEY M-18-XS/N 1392 · Built 1993 Airframe modelOostdik Thomas W MOONEY M-18-X Engine modelContinental A&C75 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Aircraft departed to the south on a private field. Shortly after takeoff, and at an altitude of approximately 10-20 feet above the ground, the aircraft's left wing struck a tree which spun the aircraft 180 degrees. The right wing struck a second tree and detached from the airframe. The remaining aircraft structure struck the ground, tail first. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot sustained serious injury as a result of this event.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED TO THE SOUTH ON A PRIVATE FIELD. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 10-20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING STRUCK A TREE WHICH SPUN THE AIRCRAFT 180 DEGREES. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A SECOND TREE AND DETACHED FROM THE AIRFRAME. THE REMAINING AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE STRUCK THE GROUND, TAIL FIRST. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED AND THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURY AS A RESULT OF THIS EVENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI04LA016Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPana, ILThe pilot's attention was diverted to a person on the ground which resulted in his failure to maintain altitude/clearance with trees . A contributing factor to the accident were trees.Oct 18, 2003 · Substantial damage