ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45005
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| Date: | Tuesday 2 December 2003 |
| Time: | 15:00 |
| Type: | Titan Tornado |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N183T |
| MSN: | T93277SOHK0065 |
| Engine model: | Hirth 2702 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Brooks, OR -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Salem, OR |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
Three witnesses said they observed the aircraft flying overhead and hearing a problem with the engine, as if it were cutting in and out. Two additional witnesses reported hearing the engine open all the way and at full throttle before seeing it nose dive into a set of power lines, subsequently impacting the ground. A sixth witness said he observed the airplane flying low with the engine having a low pitch sound before flying overhead and pitching to the right into a dive. A seventh witness observed the aircraft flying between 500 and 600 feet above ground level before observing it rise to an extremely high [pitch] angle, rolling over on its back, and plunging to the ground after hitting power lines. The aircraft came to rest on its left side with its wings and fuselage twisted. There was no post crash fire. A post-accident examination of the engine and airframe revealed no anomalies which would have prevented normal operations. It was confirmed by a family member that at the time of the accident the uncertificated pilot took two types of insulin daily and was taking five prescription medications for various medical conditions. Medical records indicate the pilot had a history of coronary heart disease, having undergone quintuple heart bypass surgery in 1999. The pilot was also diabetic, having been insulin dependant since 1977. Post-accident toxicology testing revealed the presence of multiple medications, including two prescription antidepressants detected in the blood and liver, and one over-the-counter antihistamine medication detected in the blood and liver. As recently as 5 weeks prior to the accident, medical records indicate the pilot suffered from memory lapses and dangerously low blood sugar.
Probable Cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering due to a hypoglycemic condition.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20031205X02004&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Dec-2017 20:28 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Cn, Operator, Source, Narrative] |
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