ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 22519
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| Date: | Tuesday 12 August 2008 |
| Time: | 08:05 |
| Type: | Titan Tornado II |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N3156B |
| MSN: | D95XXXC0HK0176 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 89 hours |
| Engine model: | Suburu EA81 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Needles, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Unknown, |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Witnesses reported that the airplane flew about 10 feet above a truck traveling southbound on a highway. It was then observed flying straight and level at low altitude over the two-lane highway, the propeller was turning, and the airplane did not appear to be in distress. Two miles later, a witness saw the airplane make a sharp left turn eastbound to line up with the westbound lanes of a perpendicular interstate highway. Ground scars showed that during the turn the left wing of the airplane contacted the shoulder of the highway prior to the airplane colliding head-on with a westbound car in the number one lane. No evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine was found during postaccident inspection of the engine. There were numerous suitable areas for landing on and adjacent to the southbound highway prior to reaching the interstate highway. The pilot's autopsy report noted evidence of severe coronary artery disease treated with bypass surgery and stent placement. The pilot also had a history of high blood pressure and non-insulin dependent diabetes. It could not be determined whether the pilot was intending to land on the highway, or if his medical conditions played any role in the accident events. The pilot did not hold a current medical certificate.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a vehicle during a low-altitude flight over a highway.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 13-Aug-2008 11:14 | harro | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:14 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:16 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:20 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 03-Dec-2017 11:54 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Cn, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
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