Bitton/Sport Flight TALON UNREG

Summary

On 10 February 2002 at about 21:00 local time, a Bitton/Sport Flight TALON registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Boring, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 February 2002 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Boring, Oregon, United States

Coordinates

45.4200, -122.3708

Aircraft

Bitton/Sport Flight TALON

Registration

UNREG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sandy → Boring

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA02LA039

1 person died.

Loss of control for undetermined reasons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness reported seeing the accident aircraft in level flight traveling westbound at an estimated altitude of 800 feet above ground (AGL). The witness stated that about five minutes later he observed the accident aircraft in a "vertical dive" from an estimated altitude of 350 AGL. He stated that the vertical dive continued until approximately 150 feet AGL where he observed the pitch attitude change to a nose high attitude. Shortly thereafter the witness lost sight of the aircraft when it descended behind a building. An inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), Flight Standards District Office (FSDO) conducted the onsite examination and reported that the aircraft impacted terrain in a nearly vertical attitude and extensive impact damage was noted to the airframe, flight controls and cockpit area. Subsequent to the accident, family members of the pilot notified the NTSB Investigator-in-Charge (IIC) that during the wreckage recovery it was noted that a flight control linkage bolt and retaining nut (used to secure the control linkage to the elevator bell crank) was missing from its installed position. According to family members of the pilot, a bolt matching the description and dimensions of linkage bolt was found in the area of the wreckage, however, it was not determined whether or not it was the bolt in question, or if it had separated from its installed position before or after impact.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.