Griffin TITAN TORNADO UNREG

Summary

On 2 May 1994 at about 02:15 local time, a Griffin TITAN TORNADO registered UNREG, operated by James R. Griffin, JR., was involved in an accident near Buckeye, Arizona, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 May 1994 at 02:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Buckeye, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Buckeye Muni (BXK)

Coordinates

33.3809, -112.5497

Aircraft

Griffin TITAN TORNADO

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

James R. Griffin, JR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX94LA207

1 person died.

the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. A factor in the accident was his complete lack of any flight experience or instruction.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

Witnesses stated that the student pilot, who had no confirmed flight experience, assembled the aircraft on the day of the accident at the airport from a kit of preassembled major components. The pilot told the witnesses that he was going to perform some taxi tests and proceeded to do several taxi runs along the runway. The aircraft was then observed to line up on the runway, add what was described as full power, then takeoff. The witnesses said the aircraft leveled off about 30 feet above the runway and flew down the complete length of the pavement. Past the departure end of the runway, the aircraft abruptly pitched nose down and impacted the ground about 1,000 feet from the runway end. An FAA inspector reported that control system continuity was established throughout the aircraft during his examination. The witnesses reported that the engine sounds were consistent and strong up to the point of ground impact. A review of FAA system records revealed no evidence of a registration or airworthiness certificate application by the pilot.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.