20200104003219A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Balz Gunther W TM-1 THUNDER MUSTANG · Santa Clarita, CA · January 4, 2020

Date: January 4, 2020 · 10:08 local
Place: Santa Clarita, CA
Phase of flight: Climb
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N151WR
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR20FA057
Reported as: Balz Gunther W TM-1 Thunder Mustang
Reported engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N151WRRegistration cancelled Apr 17, 2020 · Balz Gunther W TM-1 THUNDER MUSTANGS/N 24 · Built 2001 Airframe modelBalz Gunther W TM-1 THUNDER MUSTANG

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.

After departure, the pilot reported to the vny tower that he had smoke out of the right stack. The pilot then stated he could not see anything and was going to have to put her down.

The aircraft experienced engine failure and an attempted off-airport landing. Just prior to landing, the aircraft struck a tree with the right wing, shearing off a substantial portion of the wing tip. The impact with the ground resulted in the aircraft being destroyed and the pilot fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

AFTER DEPARTURE, THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE VNY TOWER THAT HE HAD SMOKE OUT OF THE RIGHT STACK. THE PILOT THEN STATED HE COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING AND WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PUT HER DOWN.

THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE AND AN ATTEMPTED OFF-AIRPORT LANDING. JUST PRIOR TO LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE WITH THE RIGHT WING, SHEARING OFF A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE WING TIP. THE IMPACT WITH THE GROUND RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT BEING DESTROYED AND THE PILOT FATALLY INJURED.

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 WPR20FA057Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportSanta Clarita, CAEngine detonation that resulted in material deformation of the crankcase and led to engine failure and restricted cockpit visibility.Jan 4, 2020 · Destroyed