Johnson TITAN TORNADO I UNREG

Summary

On 25 September 2004 at about 21:31 local time, a Johnson TITAN TORNADO I registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Carlton, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 September 2004 at 21:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Carlton, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Private Airstrip (PVT)

Coordinates

46.6483, -92.4711

Aircraft

Johnson TITAN TORNADO I

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Flight Test

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlton → Carlton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI04CA291

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to abort the takeoff. Factors to the accident included the diminished takeoff performance due to the incorrect propeller pitch setting and the tree that the airplane impacted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The homebuilt airplane impacted trees during its maiden takeoff from a private airstrip. The pilot reported that the airplane "did not lift-off as expected" and it "bounced into air" after a 600 foot long ground roll. The pilot stated that the airplane "climbed out slowly" and impacted the top of a 40 foot high tree with a wingtip. The pilot reported the airplane came to rest nose-down, hanging from the tree. The pilot believes he incorrectly set the pitch of the propeller during construction, which resulted in a reduced engine power output. The airplane had not been issued a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness or registration certificate. The pilot reported his last medical certificate was issued during 1964. The pilot stated his total flight experience was about 65 hours.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.