Frank Fitzgerald TEAM Z MAX N1995Z

Summary

On 31 May 2002 at about 17:43 local time, a Frank Fitzgerald TEAM Z MAX registered N1995Z, operated by Robert D. Rochester, was involved in an accident near Huntsville, Alabama, 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

31 May 2002 at 17:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Huntsville, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

34.7472, -86.4517

Aircraft

Frank Fitzgerald TEAM Z MAX

Registration

N1995Z

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert D. Rochester

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Huntsville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL02LA115

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a take off climb resulting in a loss of control (inadvertent stall) and the subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. A factor was the lack of total experience in type of aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated he encountered a downdraft on takeoff, attempted a forced landing, failed to maintain airspeed and crashed. Witnesses stated the airplane was observed in a steep climb, stalled, recovered, and stalled again disappearing behind the tree line. Review of weather data for the departure airport revealed no reported gusts or downdraft. The pilot did not report a mechanical problem with the airplane prior to the collision. A review of the pilot's flight time information showed that he had recorded 97 total flight hours of which 1 hour was in the Team Z Max airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.