Accident Overview
On July 6, 2020, at approximately 0755 central daylight time, a Titan Tornado II airplane, registration N900WH, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Mankato, Kansas. The non-certificated pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Witness Account
A witness at the airport reported that around 0750, he observed the pilot taxi the airplane to runway 17. Shortly after, the airplane took off. The witness then heard a change in the engine’s noise, which sounded as if the engine had stopped running. He exited his hangar to look at the airplane and saw it descending behind trees. The airplane impacted the terrain along a tree line bordering the east side of the runway.
When the witness responded to the accident site, the pilot told him that the engine had started shaking “real bad” just before it quit. The pilot believed that the propeller had broken. According to the witness, the propeller was intact except for a portion that was damaged when the airplane flipped over. Pieces of the propeller were found near the wreckage. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector responded to the accident site. The airplane came to rest inverted and was leaking fuel; it was subsequently turned upright. A visual inspection of the airplane did not detect any anomalies. The airplane was moved to the pilot’s hangar.
The pilot was reported to be a student training for a sport pilot certificate.
Engine Examination Efforts
Over several weeks following the accident, numerous attempts were made to coordinate an engine examination. The FAA inspector contacted a local Airframe and Powerplants mechanic who was willing to perform the work and had conducted the previous condition inspection on the airplane. However, due to the mechanic’s limited availability and the need for FAA oversight—since the mechanic had performed the condition inspection—the examination was not completed. Further attempts to coordinate with the mechanic were unsuccessful, and an engine examination was not accomplished.