Accident Overview
On July 18, 2009, at 1010 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built single-seat airplane, a Marvin Faulk Tinker Bell (registration N62431), was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain on the northwest edge of the La Porte Airport (T41), La Porte, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The pilot, the sole occupant, sustained serious injuries. The flight originated from T41 and was en route to Jasper County Airport (JAS), Jasper, Texas.
Witness Observations
Several days before the accident, a witness observed the accident airplane during takeoff while it was about 20 feet above ground level (AGL). The airplane appeared to be attempting to climb; however, it remained at a low altitude before the witness lost sight of it after it cleared the trees at the edge of the airport. When the accident airplane returned for landing, it bounced several times, and the witness stated that the airplane “would have crashed” if the pilot had not executed a go-around.
On the day of the accident, other witnesses observed the airplane approximately 100 to 200 feet AGL during its takeoff from runway 31. The airplane did not appear to be climbing and was in a “fairly steep angle of attack.” The engine was still running when the airplane began to descend, maintaining a nose-up attitude all the way to impact.
Damage and Scene Evidence
Evidence at the scene indicated that the airplane came to rest upright. There was crushing damage to the fuselage. The engine and both wings were partially separated from the airframe.
Pilot and Aircraft Records
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show that the pilot was issued a student pilot certificate and a third-class medical certificate on October 17, 1996. The student pilot certificate expired on October 31, 1998, and was not reissued. No pilot logbooks or any other records of pilot experience were located during the investigation.
FAA records indicate that the pilot, who also built the airplane, requested an aircraft registration certificate on June 16, 1999. The FAA issued a registration certificate on August 13, 1999. On October 28, 1999, the pilot requested an aircraft airworthiness certificate; however, that request was denied by the FAA, and an airworthiness certificate for N62431 was never issued. No aircraft maintenance records were located during the investigation.