# NTSB CEN09LA445: Marvin Faulk Tinker Bell, N62431, La Porte, TX, July 18, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 18, 2009, 10:10 local (15:10 UTC) - Place: La Porte, TX - Coordinates: 29.671112, -95.068336 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6711&lon=-95.0683&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report April 28, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Houston FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 74320 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09LA445 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74320/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74320 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA445 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Action: lack of action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Student/instructed pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Faulk Marvin FAULK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md?model=05607UH), [All aircraft, 792 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041030/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Faulk Marvin FAULK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05607UH), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: qualification/certification](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot; cases with it: [Faulk Marvin FAULK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md?model=05607UH), [All aircraft, 280 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031010/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Faulk Marvin FAULK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=05607UH), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Faulk Marvin FAULK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05607UH), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Faulk Marvin FAULK, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05607UH), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis Several days before the accident, a witness observed the airplane during takeoff while it was about 20 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane appeared to be attempting to climb but remained at a low altitude. The airplane cleared the trees at the edge of the airport and the witness eventually lost sight of it. On the day of the accident, other witnesses observed the airplane at approximately 100 to 200 feet agl during its takeoff. The airplane did not appear to be climbing and the engine was still running when the airplane began to descend, maintaining a nose up attitude all the way to impact. The airplane came to rest upright, with crush damage to the fuselage. The engine and both wings were partially separated. The pilot did not hold a pilot certificate and the airplane had never been issued an airworthiness certificate. ## Factual narrative On July 18, 2009, at 1010 central daylight time, a Marvin Faulk Tinker Bell, experimental amateur built single seat airplane, N62431, was substantially damaged upon impact with terrain on the northwest edge of the La Porte Airport (T41), La Porte, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The pilot, who was the only person on board, was seriously injured. The flight was originating from T41 and was en route to the Jasper County Airport (JAS), Jasper, Texas. Several days before the accident a witness saw the accident airplane during takeoff while it was about 20 feet above ground level (AGL). The airplane appeared to be attempting to climb; however, it remained at a low altitude before the witness lost sight of the airplane after it cleared the trees at the edge of the airport. When the accident airplane returned for landing it bounced several times and the witness said the airplane “would have crashed” if the pilot hadn’t done a go-around. On the day of the accident, other witnesses saw the airplane approximately 100 to 200 feet AGL during its takeoff from runway 31. The airplane did not appear to be climbing and was in a “fairly steep angle of attack”. The engine was still running when the airplane began to descend, maintaining a nose up attitude all the way to impact. Evidence at the scene showed that the airplane came to rest upright and there was crushing damage to the fuselage. The engine and both wings were partially separated. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show that the pilot was issued a student pilot certificate and third class medical certificate on October 17, 1996. The student pilot certificate expired on October 31, 1998 and was not reissued. No pilot logbooks or any other records of pilot experience were located during the investigation. FAA records show that the pilot, who was also the builder, requested an aircraft registration certificate on June 16, 1999. The FAA issued a registration certificate on August 13, 1999. On October 28, 1999 the pilot requested an aircraft airworthiness certificate, however that request was denied by the FAA and an airworthiness certificate for N62431 was never issued. No aircraft maintenance records were located during the investigation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N62431](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N62431-2014-10-09), registration cancelled 2014-10-09, S/N 3 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MARVIN FAULK TINKER BELL - Registry model: [Faulk Marvin FAULK](https://openairdocs.org/model/faulk-marvin-faulk) (registry code 05607UH) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 3 - Airframe hours: 26 - Engines: Continental A-65 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: T41, La Porte, TX - Destination: JAS, Jasper, TX - Airport: T41, La Porte Municipal Airport, runway 30, 4,165 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 61; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: single; flight hours: 26 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 310° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.09 inHg - Observed at: HOU, 10 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20090718010379A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090718010379A), Jul 18, 2009: Faulkm FAULK, La Porte, TX, Destroyed. (-23) Aircraft departed from La Porte Municipal Airport, Texas (T41) runway 31 at approximately 10:10 CST. Witness statement indicated that aircraft was at… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 20, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=74320. 1.4 MB in all. - Witness Statement - Jack Gray (item 1, .PDF, 148 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336907&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%20-%20Jack%20Gray-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement - Steve Monigal (item 2, .PDF, 131 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336908&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement%20-%20Steve%20Monigal-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement- Keith Benner (item 3, .PDF, 147 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336909&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-%20Keith%20Benner-Redacted.PDF - Map 1 - Airport Diagram, Showing Impact Location and Location of Witnesses Monigal and Gray (item 4, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336910&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%201%20-%20Airport%20Diagram,%20Showing%20Impact%20Location%20and%20Location%20of%20Witnesses%20Monigal%20and%20Gray-Master.PDF - Map 2 - Showing Accident Location on the Northwest edge of the T41 Airport (item 5, .PDF, 137 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40340686&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%202%20-%20Showing%20Accident%20Location%20on%20the%20Northwest%20edge%20of%20the%20T41%20Airport-Master.PDF - Aircraft Photos (With 6 Embedded Photos) (item 6, .PDF, 775 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40342131&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Aircraft%20Photos%20%20(With%206%20Embedded%20Photos)-Master.PDF 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. --- 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.