ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45144
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| Date: | Sunday 20 July 2003 |
| Time: | 09:54 |
| Type: |  Quickie Q2 |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N218DT |
| MSN: | 2173 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 0 hours |
| Engine model: | Aero Engines (VW) |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Tehachapi, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Tehachapi, CA (L94) |
| Tehachapi, CA (L94) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
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.
Probable Cause: 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.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20030724X01184&key=1
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 08-Dec-2017 18:53 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
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