Wednesday, April 27, 2022

Titan T-51D Mustang, N151CM: Accident occurred April 24, 2022 and Incident occurred July 18, 2021

This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.

The National Transportation Safety Board did not travel to the scene of this accident. 

Additional Participating Entity:
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Tampa, Florida


Location: Perry, Florida 
Accident Number: ERA22LA200
Date and Time: April 24, 2022, 12:24 Local
Registration: N151CM
Aircraft: Titan T51
Injuries: 1 Serious
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Personal

On April 24, 2022, at 1224 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Titan T-51D, N151CM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Perry, Florida. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

A review of preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane departed Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL), Lakeland, Florida at 1118. At 1218, the airplane was about 5 nautical miles (nm) west of the Perry-Foley Airport (FPY), heading northwest at an altitude of about 2,300 ft, when it made a 270° left turn and descended to about 2,000 ft. About 1 minute later, it made another 270° turn to the left, descended to about 1,400 ft, and headed southeast toward FPY. The airplane continued to descend, and at 1223 was about 1.25 nm from FPY at an altitude of 250 ft, when it turned right and headed south. The tracking data ended about 15 seconds later as the airplane was over a wooded area about 500 ft north of the accident site. The pilot reported to first responders that the engine had lost fuel pressure and subsequently stopped.

Post-accident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane struck trees before it crossed over a road and came to rest inverted. The left wing was fracture separated about 1/3 of the span from the root and found in the debris path about 100 ft from the main wreckage. The right wing leading edge was crushed aft and torn along most of its span. The
outboard half of the left horizontal stabilizer and elevator were crushed aft. The landing gear was retracted. All four propeller blades were fracture separated at the hub.

The airplane was retained for further examination. 

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Titan 
Registration: N151CM
Model/Series: T51 D 
Aircraft Category: Airplane
Amateur Built: Yes
Operator: On file
Operating Certificate(s) Held: None
Operator Designator Code:

Meteorological Information and Flight Plan

Conditions at Accident Site: VMC 
Condition of Light: Day
Observation Facility, Elevation: TLH,68 ft msl
Observation Time: 12:53 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 43 Nautical Miles
Temperature/Dew Point: 26°C /16°C
Lowest Cloud Condition:
Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 8 knots / , 130°
Lowest Ceiling: Broken / 3900 ft AGL 
Visibility: 10 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.17 inches Hg
Type of Flight Plan Filed:
Departure Point: Lakeland, FL (LAL) 
Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Serious
Aircraft Damage: Substantial
Passenger Injuries: 
Aircraft Fire: None
Ground Injuries: N/A 
Aircraft Explosion: None
Total Injuries: 1 Serious
Latitude, Longitude: 30.080331,-83.60677

April 24, 2022:  Aircraft crashed into a field for unknown reasons in Perry, Taylor County, Florida. 

Date: 24-APR-22
Time: 17:05:00Z
Regis#: N151CM
Aircraft Make: TITAN
Aircraft Model: T-51D
Event Type: ACCIDENT
Highest Injury: SERIOUS
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: EN ROUTE (ENR)
Operation: 91
City: PERRY
State: FLORIDA

April 24, 2022


PERRY, Florida (WCTV) — Deputies with the Taylor County Sheriff’s Office remain on the scene of a plane crash that left a pilot injured Sunday.

Investigators say the plane went down Sunday afternoon south of Perry in the area of Houck Road, just east of Highway 19. The sheriff’s office says the pilot was taken to a hospital in Tallahassee for treatment of their injuries. Deputies are preserving the area for investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.

Pictures from the scene show one piece of the aircraft in the grass just off the shoulder of the road. The main fuselage is in an area of brush and small trees farther off the road.

The plane was a Titan T-51D Mustang experimental kit built. The sheriff’s office says the pilot lost the engine after the fuel pressure dropped.

“He started trying to glide down to make a safe landing but was descending quicker than he anticipated,” TCSO says.

It’s not clear where the flight originated or where the plane was headed. The crash site is less than four miles south of the Perry-Foley airport.


Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office; Houston, Texas

July 18, 2021:  Aircraft right main gear collapsed during landing, veered off runway, left main gear collapsed and came to rest in a drainage ditch at Eagle Lake Airport (KELA), Colorado County, Texas.


Date: 18-JUL-21
Time: 00:40:00Z
Regis#: N151CM
Aircraft Make: TITAN AIRCRAFT
Aircraft Model: T-51D
Event Type: INCIDENT
Highest Injury: NONE
Aircraft Missing: No
Damage: UNKNOWN
Activity: PERSONAL
Flight Phase: LANDING (LDG)
Operation: 91
City: EAGLE LAKE
State: TEXAS

3 comments:

  1. Registration shows GM LS3 engine, but it isn't the N2491U Titan that Elliot Seguin detailed in the Tough Day - #OddiesTitan P-51 Mustang Chevy V8 Kitplane yt video.

    ReplyDelete
  2. No. Lady Elaine is my plane and is still in California awaiting new prop blades. Same problem though- loss of engine. It will be interesting to see what caused it in this case.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I wonder how much less glide range they get using the much heavier V8 compared to the original Rotax 4 cylinder engine.

    ReplyDelete