Accident Overview
On April 20, 2009, at approximately 1100 central daylight time, a Titan Tornado II, registration N226BW, was destroyed after colliding with terrain during an attempted emergency landing at A&P Airpark Airport (LS77) in Slaughter, Louisiana. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The student pilot, the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated minutes earlier and was destined for Jonesville, Louisiana (L32).
Witness Accounts
The former owner of the airplane, who observed the takeoff, reported that the takeoff on runway 36 appeared normal until the airplane became airborne and began what he described as a pilot-induced oscillation. The airplane circled while oscillating and attempted to return for landing, with oscillations continuing until it contacted the ground. He estimated the altitude at 0 to 20 feet when the nose pitched down into the ground. The airport manager characterized the motion as "violent oscillation." A third witness, fishing nearby, initially saw the airplane overhead and waved, noting everything "seemed fine" before the airplane reappeared. He heard the engine sound fluctuating between full power and shut off three times, after which the engine stopped.
Investigation Findings
FAA inspectors found no mechanical discrepancies with the airframe or engine. The former owner stated that the pilot appeared to be over-correcting or "chasing" the oscillations, and noted that the airplane was very sensitive around the lateral (pitch) axis.
Pilot Experience
The pilot held a student pilot certificate. According to his logbook, which spanned from September 6, 1992, to May 17, 2008, he had logged a total of 196.5 flight hours in various aircraft, including Cessna models (150, 152, 170A, 172) and Piper models (PA-22-108, PA-28-140). He had no recorded experience in the Titan Tornado II or any other light sport aircraft. His last flight was nearly a year before the accident, on May 17, 2008.
Aircraft Information
The Titan Tornado II, N226BW, had its last conditional inspection on November 13, 2006, at a total airframe time of 40.1 hours. The previous owner sold the airplane on an "as is, where is" basis, and the new owner (the pilot) was aware of these conditions.