Thompson QUICKIE Q2 N218DT

Summary

On 20 July 2003 at about 16:54 local time, a Thompson QUICKIE Q2 registered N218DT was involved in an accident near Tehachapi, California, 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

20 July 2003 at 16:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Tehachapi, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mountain Valley (L94)

Coordinates

35.1011, -118.4347

Aircraft

Thompson QUICKIE Q2

Registration

N218DT

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tehachapi → Tehachapi

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX03LA237

1 person died.

The pilot's inadvertent entry into a pilot induced oscillation and failure to maintain airplane control during the takeoff initial climb. A contributing factor was the pilot's likely impairment by an over-the-counter drug substance that degraded his physical and mental performance.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane entered a pilot induced oscillation during takeoff, collided with the runway, and was destroyed by a post impact fire. The accident occurred during the pilot's maiden flight in his experimental homebuilt airplane. Witnesses saw the airplane initially climb about 25 feet above the runway. Thereafter, the airplane descended until landing hard on the runway in a nose low pitch attitude. The airplane bounced/porpoised and impacted again whereupon it nosed over, slid to a stop, and was consumed by fire. Examination of the thermally destroyed composite airplane revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure, and the reason for the pilot's failure to maintain control was not ascertained. No evidence of any preexisting physical disability was noted during the pilot's autopsy. Evidence of diphenhydramine was found in the pilot's blood and urine. This drug is an over-the-counter antihistamine preparations and typically results in drowsiness, and is associated with degradation of cognitive and motor tasks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.