- Date
- September 12, 2002, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place
- Sedan, KS
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N174BTTerning Sky Scout
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-Wichita FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020912030409A
- Case key
- 55714
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 loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a stall.
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
An amateur-built airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain during initial climb after takeoff. The pilot received serious injuries and did not remember the events concerning the accident. A witness reported that it was the third flight of the day. The witness observed the airplane takeoff and then heard the engine quit shortly after takeoff. The airplane impacted the terrain in a steep nose down attitude. The airplane moved about six feet after impact. The left wing outboard of the wing strut was buckled aft. Both wings exhibited leading edge crush damage. No pre-impact anomalies to the engine or airframe were noted.
Factual narrative
On September 12, 2002, at 1715 central daylight time, an amateur-built Terning Sky Scout, N174BT, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain during initial climb after takeoff. The pilot received serious injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was departing from the pilot's private grass airstrip on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.
A friend of the pilot reported the pilot does not remember the events concerning the accident. He reported the pilot's wife observed the accident. She reported that it was the third flight of the day. She watched the airplane takeoff and then heard the engine quit shortly after takeoff.
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported the airplane impacted the terrain in a steep nose down attitude. The airplane moved about six feet after impact. The left wing outboard of the wing strut was buckled aft. Both wings exhibited leading edge crush damage. No pre-impact anomalies to the engine or airframe were noted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N174BT
- Reported as
- Terning Sky Scout
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 174
- Engine
- Aero Engines, 75 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Brett Terning
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Sedan, KS
- Airport
- PVT · Private Airstrip, runway 180, 2,500 × 50 ft
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
- 56
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2000
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,500 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- ICT, 65 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.