# NTSB DFW07LA199: Monocoupe 110SP, N110SP, Utopia, TX, September 15, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 15, 2007, 08:10 local (13:10 UTC) - Place: Utopia, TX - Coordinates: 29.522777, -99.517776 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.5228&lon=-99.5178&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed, report December 28, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 66673 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DFW07LA199 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66673/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07LA199 ## Probable cause The pilot's loss of control while performing a low level inverted flight maneuver. ## Analysis The high-wing single engine airplane was destroyed following a collision with terrain while performing aerobatic flight maneuvers. The airline transport—rated pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The airplane was buzzing a friend of the pilot's house. On the last pass while flying inverted the airplane's engine was observed to cough shortly before the airplane impacted the ground. The witness noted that the airplane suddenly entered a vertical, inverted dive into a bunch of oak trees. A review of the aircraft records indicated no pre-impact anomalies and that the aircraft was properly maintained. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 2007, at 0810 central daylight time, a 1931 vintage Monocoupe 110SP airplane, N110SP, was destroyed following a collision with terrain while performing aerobatic flight maneuvers near Utopia, Texas. The airline transport rated pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. No flight plan was filed and visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The local flight initiated from the pilot's private airstrip, near Utopia, Texas, at an undetermined time. In a written statement from an eyewitness and personal friend of the pilot, who is also a pilot, stated that "his friend was buzzing his house." He added that the first pass was from north to south, just west of his house. The second pass was to the north at about 200-feet above the ground. The airplane was then observed climbing to about 3,000-feet above ground level, performed a loop and entered a vertical nose-dive. The airplane was then observed passing below the tree line, and just before he came back in to view, the witness reported hearing a "cough" from the engine. The witness further stated that the engine sounded smoothly as he observed the airplane emerging from behind the trees. The witness noted that the airplane was flying inverted, something that his friend had "never done in previous passes." The airplane then "suddenly entered a vertical, inverted dive into a bunch of oak trees." A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector performed and on-scene examination of the wreckage. According to the inspector the airplane was totally destroyed due to the apparent high speed vertical impact with the ground. The wreckage of the vintage airplane was recovered to the owner's private hangar on Thunder Ranch. A review of the aircraft records indicated no pre-impact anomalies and that the aircraft was well maintained. An autopsy was performed by the Bexar County Medical Examiner's Office, San Antonio, Texas. The autopsy revealed the cause of death as "blunt force injuries." Toxicological testing was performed by the FAA’s Civil Aerospace Medical Institute, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (CAMI) A toxicology report was completed by CAMI, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and indicated no drugs were found in the system. Tests for carbon monoxide, cyanide, and ethanol were not performed. No drugs were detected in the tests. At 0751, the weather at the Hondo Municipal Airport, located approximately 23 miles to the southeast of the accident site, was wind from 020 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 7 miles, clear skies, temperature 21 degrees Celsius, dew point 19 degrees Celsius, and a barometric pressure setting of 30.18 inches of Mercury. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - aerobatics - intentional, pilot in command (cause) - low altitude flight/maneuver - performed, pilot in command - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering ## Aircraft - Registration: [N110SP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N110SP), registered now, S/N 6W13, built 1931 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Monocoupe 110SP - Registry model: [Monocoupe 110](https://openairdocs.org/model/monocoupe-110) (registry code 5810202) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Warner SCARAB series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/warner-scarab-series) (registry code 64502, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 6W13 - Airframe hours: 1029 - Engines: Warner Scarab Series 125 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 3, 2006 - Departed: Utopia, TX - Airport: runway NA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 63; injuries: fatal; flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 23, 2007; seat: front; toxicology performed; flight hours: 15,473 total, 50 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 5 knots - Visibility: 7 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 66 °F - Altimeter: 30.18 inHg - Observed at: KHDO, 23 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 20070915022219A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070915022219A), Sep 15, 2007: Mncoup 110, Utopia, TX, Destroyed, 1 fatal. (-23) The pilot was doing low level aerobatics over a friend's property. When flying inverted at 200 feet AGL, the plane dove into the ground and collided with… 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.