Whitty MUSTANG II N888PW

Summary

On 3 October 2003 at about 15:30 local time, a Whitty MUSTANG II registered N888PW was involved in an accident near Holly Ridge, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 October 2003 at 15:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Holly Ridge, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Topsail Airpark (01NC)

Coordinates

34.4811, -77.5842

Aircraft

Whitty MUSTANG II

Registration

N888PW

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Topsail Airpark → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL04LA003

1 person died.

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering for a forced landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to a witness, this was the first flight of the recently restored experimental airplane. After a brief engine run up, the airplane took off on runway 03. The takeoff appeared normal with a normal climb out. At about 300 feet above ground level, the airplane made a left turn to a wide downwind and climbed to about 800 feet or pattern altitude. After making a turn to base leg, a gradual descent was made and it seemed that he was going to make a landing on runway 03. On his turn to final he overshot the runway and lined up about 50-feet to the right of the runway. He passed over the intersection of runway 03 and 36 at an altitude of about 50 to 100 feet and added power for a go-around. The engine misfired and his increase in altitude was very slow and at the end of the runway, he started a left turn. During the turn, and at an altitude of about 100 to 200 feet, the witness thought the engine stopped. The airplane rolled to the left, nose dropped sharply and the airplane started to spin to the left. After one turn the airplane dropped out of sight behind some trees. Examination of the crash site found the airplane about 1/4 of a mile from the end of runway 36, 45-degrees left of the extended centerline in heavy trees and vegetation. Wreckage debris was scattered on a 290-degree magnetic heading. No airframe malfunctions were noted during the examination and there was nothing noted during the examination of the engine that would have prevented it from operating properly.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.