- Date
- February 15, 1996, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Pahokee, FL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N6234XMcrae Titan Acft Tornado
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 16, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960215001789A
- Case key
- 3693
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses in the area stated that the aircraft was observed to be practicing maneuvers at about 1000 feet above the terrain. The aircraft appeared to stall and enter a spin prior to impacting the terrain. Examination of the aircraft, engine, and related components revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
Factual narrative
On February 15, 1996, at 1430 eastern standard time, a Finley M. Mcrae, Titan Aircraft Tornado, N6234X, was substantially damaged following a collision with terrain near Pahokee, Florida. The private pilot and his passenger were both fatally injured. The aircraft was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed for the local, personal flight. The flight departed Pahokee, Florida, at 1400 hours.
Witnesses in the area stated that the aircraft was observed to be practicing maneuvers at about 1000 feet above the terrain. The aircraft appeared to stall and enter a spin before impacting the terrain. The aircraft impacted the terrain southeast of the Pahokee Airport.
The aircraft, engine, and related components were examined by FAA inspectors, the examination revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction. The Rotax engine started and ran with no problems.
An autopsy was performed on the pilot by Dr. Michael D. Bell from the Palm Beach County Medical Examiners Office, West Palm Beach, Florida. The cause of death was found to be multiple injuries due to blunt trauma. A toxicological examination was performed on the pilot by Dr. Dennis V. Canfield of the FAA Research Laboratory, and no drugs or alcohol were detected.
The operator of the aircraft failed to complete the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report upon request.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6234X
- Reported as
- Mcrae Titan Acft Tornado (TITAN ACFT)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 2503S0HK0043
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 52 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Brian Ankrom
- Registered owner
- Finley M Mcrae
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- PHK
- Airport
- PHK · Palm Beach County
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 26
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 160 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI, 60 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.