# NTSB MIA96LA182: Tocholke 1300-Z MAX, N398MT, Lascassas, TN, July 12, 1996

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 12, 1996, 17:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place: Lascassas, TN
- Coordinates: 35.939453, -86.289665 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9395&lon=-86.2897&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report January 30, 1998
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38048
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA96LA182
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38048/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA96LA182

## Probable cause

failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering (turning) after takeoff, which resulted in an inadvertent stall at too low of an altitude to allow recovery.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, takeoff - initial climb
  - weather condition - turbulence
  - maneuver - initiated, pilot in command
  - airspeed - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - stall - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled

## Analysis

The pilot stated that after takeoff to the west, he performed a left turn to the south; during the turn, 'the left wing stalled after experiencing turbulence,' and the airplane struck the ground at a 'level attitude' on level terrain. Rescue personnel asked the pilot what happened, and he said that he had just taken off, 'made a hard bank left and lost it. It was my fault....'  An FAA inspector stated, the pilot told him that he had no mechanical problems with the airplane or the engine. An examination of the engine and airframe revealed no discrepancy.

## Factual narrative

On July 12, 1996, about 1715 central daylight time, a homebuilt, Tocholke 1300-Z, N398MT, registered to a private owner,  operating as a 14 CFR Part 91, personal, local flight, crashed while on takeoff from a private airport near Lascassas, Tennessee .  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed.  The airplane was destroyed.  The private pilot received serious injuries.

The pilot stated that after takeoff to the west, he performed a left turn to the south, during the turn, "the left wing stalled after experiencing turbulence," and the airplane struck the ground at a "level attitude" on level terrain.  Rescue personnel asked the pilot what happened, and he said that he had just taken off, "made a hard bank left and lost it. It was my fault...."

The FAA Inspector stated that the pilot told him that he had no mechanical problems with the airplane or the engine.  An examination of the engine and airframe revealed no discrepancies.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N398MT](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N398MT-1997-03-25), registration cancelled 1997-03-25, S/N 398 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: TOCHOLKE 1300-Z MAX
- Registry model: [Tocholke Martin 1300-Z MAX](https://openairdocs.org/model/tocholke-martin-1300-z-max) (registry code 05620DJ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 398
- Airframe hours: 140
- Engines: Zenoah G50C-011143 45 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Martin Tocholke
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, July 12, 1996, 140 hours before
- Airport: runway 27, 900 × 60 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 53; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: center; flight hours: 429 total, 140 in this make and model, 379 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 90 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg

## 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 19960712017019A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960712017019A), Jul 12, 1996: Amtr ZMAX, Lascassas, TN, Destroyed. Stalled a wing and crashed turning downwind in pattern.

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.

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