Sutton TIERRA II N131WH

Summary

On 27 January 1998 at about 19:50 local time, a Sutton TIERRA II registered N131WH was involved in an accident near Woodson, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 January 1998 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Woodson, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Sutton TIERRA II

Registration

N131WH

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW98LA107

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inability to maintain control of the airplane for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot told individuals responding to the accident site that the airplane 'entered a steep right turn from which he was unable to pull the airplane out, so he elected to shut the engine off in order to attempt to get out of it.' The FAA inspector that responded to the accident site stated that physical evidence indicated that the airplane impacted the muddy field in a left turn in a nose down attitude. The pilot's wife reported that the pilot elected to execute a short flight to verify the accuracy of the airspeed indicator. The pilot's wife further reported that she was observing the airplane over the airport at approximately 150 feet above the ground. The airplane 'suddenly rolled into a 50 degree bank to the right' as she continued to observe the airplane enter a right spiraling turn until impact with the ground. The pilot told his wife that prior to his loss of control, 'he thought he heard the left wing strut snap.' Examination of the wreckage by the FAA inspector did not revealed any pre-existing anomalies or discontinuities that would have prevented normal operation of the homebuilt airplane. The reason for the loss of control could not be determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.