20120519012479A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Dial David L TITAN TORNADO II · Checotah, OK · May 19, 2012

Date: May 19, 2012 · 16:00 local
Place: Checotah, OK
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N158TX
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN12LA307
Reported as: Dial David L Titan Tornado II
Reported engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0

N158TXRegistration cancelled May 20, 2015 · Dial David L TITAN TORNADO IIS/N D95EA81C0HK0158 · Built 1998 Airframe modelDial David L TITAN TORNADO II Engine modelBombardier ROTAX (ALL)Reciprocating

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.

Pilot had been flying this aircraft earlier in the day and had landed on his personal grass strip at his home. The wind was reported to be strong and gusty out of the south. The pilot took off for the second flight of the day headed southbound. The aircraft was approximately 150 feet above the ground when it turned to the left (east). Witnesses reported the aircraft turned left the right wing came up approximately 90 degrees with the left wing straight down. As the wing came up the aircraft's turn got tighter and the airspeed slowed, all happening simultaneously. Witnesses reported the nose dropped towards the ground, as the nose dropped the engine revved and the aircraft flew nose down into the ground, rotating approximately 180 degrees on descent until impact.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT HAD BEEN FLYING THIS AIRCRAFT EARLIER IN THE DAY AND HAD LANDED ON HIS PERSONAL GRASS STRIP AT HIS HOME. THE WIND WAS REPORTED TO BE STRONG AND GUSTY OUT OF THE SOUTH. THE PILOT TOOK OFF FOR THE SECOND FLIGHT OF THE DAY HEADED SOUTHBOUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN IT TURNED TO THE LEFT (EAST). WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT TURNED LEFT THE RIGHT WING CAME UP APPROXIMATELY 90 DEGREES WITH THE LEFT WING STRAIGHT DOWN. AS THE WING CAME UP THE AIRCRAFT'S TURN GOT TIGHTER AND THE AIRSPEED SLOWED, ALL HAPPENING SIMULTANEOUSLY. WITNESSES REPORTED THE NOSE DROPPED TOWARDS THE GROUND, AS THE NOSE DROPPED THE ENGINE REVVED AND THE AIRCRAFT FLEW NOSE DOWN INTO THE GROUND, ROTATING APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES ON DESCENT UNTIL IMPACT.

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 CEN12LA307Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportChecotah, OKThe noncertificated pilot's loss of airplane control while maneuvering during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s ostentatious display.May 19, 2012 · Substantial damage