What happened
On May 19, 2012, a Titan Tornado II, registration N158TX, crashed while performing a maneuver during the initial climb following takeoff from a private grass runway near Checotah, Oklahoma. The flight was being conducted as a local personal flight under visual flight rules.
Witnesses observed that after departing the runway, the aircraft leveled off at approximately 100 feet above the ground and accelerated. The airplane then entered a steep, nearly vertical, nose-up climb before banking sharply to the left to turn northbound. During this left bank, the right wing tip rose significantly, the bank tightened, and the aircraft suddenly nose-dived into the ground. Witnesses noted that the pilot had previously performed similar high-speed, low-altitude maneuvers and appeared to enjoy performing such displays.
The aircraft impacted the terrain approximately 1,000 feet southeast of the south end of the runway. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage showed the aircraft came to rest upright in a flat field. The impact caused substantial damage to the airframe, including compression damage to the nose and wings, and the engine was nearly separated from its mounts. The airspeed indicator was frozen at 64 miles per hour at the time of impact. No evidence of preimpact mechanical failure or engine malfunction was found.
Regarding the pilot, investigators found that he did not hold a valid pilot certificate, as his student pilot certificate had expired in 2003. While he was flying a light sport aircraft, which only requires a valid driver's license for medical qualification, his flight experience could not be determined because his logbooks were unavailable.
Toxicological analysis performed by the FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute detected low levels of methamphetamine in the pilot's blood and urine, along with its metabolite, amphetamine. It could not be determined if these substances were used recreationally or were part of a prescribed medical treatment.