Back Forty Developments TUNDRA accident near Lakeland, FL
On April 15, 1994, a Back Forty Developments TUNDRA (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lakeland, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 15, 1994
- Place
- Lakeland, FL
- Aircraft
- Back Forty Developments TUNDRA · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 27.979°N, 82.010°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X01159
NTSB summary
On April 15, 1994, about 0939 eastern daylight time, a Tundra, airplane, CIEEU, registered to Toronto Aerosport Inc., Baldwin, Ontario, operating as a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, experienced an in-flight collision with tomato crates while descending. The airplane was destroyed. The Canadian private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, about 2 minutes before the accident. A witness took off from the ultralight grass strip in his experimental airplane behind the accident airplane. The witness stated the airplane climbed to 300 feet agl, leveled off at about 75 to 80 IAS, turned crosswind, downwind, and departed the traffic pattern. About 2 to 3 seconds after the airplane departed the traffic pattern, the left wing dropped down about 30 degrees and the nose pitched down about 30 degrees. The airplane descended in a left spiral until colliding with obstructions on the ground. The airplane appeared to gain airspeed in the descent and there was no visual indication of a decrease in propeller rpm or engine failure. The airplane wreckage was located about 1/2 mile south of Medulla Road in a field south of the Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland, Florida. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane collided with tomato crates in a left wing low, nose-down attitude about 5 feet above the ground. The airplane rotated around the vertical axis to the right, the right wing collided with tomato crates, and the airplane came to rest on its left
Probable cause
In-flight loss of control due to incapacitation (heart attack or stroke) resulting in an in-flight collision with tomato crates and terrain.
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Browse: Florida
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
