- Date
- November 11, 2007, 15:55 local (23:55 UTC)
- Place
- McMinnville, OR
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- UNREGTitan Tornado I
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 67084
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 NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The failure of the pilot to maintain an adequate airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff that resulted in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's unfamiliarity with the accident airplane.
Analysis
After reaching an airspeed of about 25 to 30 miles per hour, the unregistered airplane lifted off the paved runway and climbed about 30 feet above ground level (agl). At that point its pitch attitude increased sharply. The non-certificated individual who was flying the airplane said that due to his unfamiliarity with this airplane, he was unable to make flight control inputs that allowed him to maintain control. The airplane slowed to an airspeed below stall speed, rolled over, and descended into the runway surface. There was no evidence of any anomaly or malfunction associated with the airplane's airframe or flight control system.
Factual narrative
On November 11, 2007, at 1555 Pacific standard time, an unregistered Titan Tornado airplane, serial number 12JBC, impacted the terrain after departing controlled flight during the initial takeoff climb at McMinnville Municipal Airport, McMinnville, Oregon. The non-certificated individual who was piloting the airplane received serious injuries, and the airplane, which was owned by an acquaintance of the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The local 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was being initiated in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan had been filed.
According to witnesses, after reaching an airspeed of about 25 to 30 miles per hour, the airplane lifted off the surface about 1,200 feet down runway 17. After the airplane had climbed about 30 feet above ground level (agl), its pitch attitude increased sharply, it appeared to stall, and it rolled over and descended into the runway surface.
According to the individual piloting the airplane, he was testing it for the owner. After takeoff, it climbed at a steeper angle than he had expected, and due to his unfamiliarity with this airplane, he was unable to make flight control inputs that allowed him to maintain control. He further stated that after the nose got too high, he could not keep the airplane from rolling over and descending into the runway. The pilot did not submit an NTSB Form 6120.1.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration Investigator who responded to the scene, there was no evidence of any anomaly or malfunction associated with the airplane's airframe or flight control system.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Titan Tornado I
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 12JBC
- Engine
- Rotax 503, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James W. Prias
- Departed
- KMMV · McMinnville, OR
- Destination
- KMMV
- Airport
- KMMV · McMinnville Municipal, runway 17, 4,676 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- Serious
- Seat
- Front
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KMMV, 25 nm away