# NTSB NYC93LA077: Fawcett Titan Tornado, East Moriches, NY, April 9, 1993

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: April 9, 1993, 17:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place: East Moriches, NY
- Coordinates: 40.810359, -72.760162 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.8104&lon=-72.7602&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report December 3, 1993
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 37305
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC93LA077
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/37305/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC93LA077

## Probable cause

THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

## Sequence of events

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

- Loss of engine power, climb
  - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause)
  - procedures/directives - not followed, pilot in command
  - maintenance,recordkeeping - inadequate, company/operator management
- Forced landing, descent - emergency
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - emergency
  - terrain condition - roadway/highway

## Analysis

THE STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED FROM THE AIRPORT IN HIS UNREGISTERED, SINGLE SEAT, HOME BUILT AIRPLANE.  HIS DAUGHTER WAS SEATED ON HIS LAP, BETWEEN HIS BODY AND THE FLIGHT CONTROLS.  ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PILOT, AT APPROXIMATELY 400 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER.  HE ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON A DIRT ROAD IN A NEARBY TREE NURSERY AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.  THE STUDENT CONSIDERED THIS AN ULTRALIGHT, BUT HE ESTIMATED IT HAD A SPEED OF 95 TO 100 MPH, ITS EMPTY WEIGHT WAS ABOUT 300 LBS, AND ITS 10 GAL FUEL TANK HAD ABOUT 8 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING.  THERE WERE NO RECORDS FOR THE AIRCRAFT AND THE PILOT OWNER COULD NOT SUPPLY A LIST OF INSTALLED COMPONENTS TO COMPUTE ITS EMPTY WEIGHT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: UNREG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: FAWCETT TITAN TORNADO (TITAN TORN)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Airframe hours: 6
- Engines: ROTAX 503 50 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: John Fawcett
- Registered owner: John Fawcett
- Last inspection: Unknown, January 2, 2000, 6 hours before

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: front; flight hours: 25 total, 6 in this make and model, 11 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 57 °F

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.