Giertz VMAX PROBE accident near Lake Jackson, TX
On June 1, 1997, a Giertz VMAX PROBE (airplane) was involved in an accident near Lake Jackson, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 1, 1997
- Place
- Lake Jackson, TX
- Aircraft
- Giertz VMAX PROBE · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 29.039°N, 95.440°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08114
NTSB summary
On June 1, 1997, approximately 0830 central daylight time, a Giertz Vmax Probe experimental aircraft, N1200M, owned and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 test flight, was substantially damaged during landing at the Brazoria County Airport, near Lake Jackson, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the local flight. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. The flight originated from the Brazoria County Airport, about 5 minutes before the accident. The 63 year old pilot became qualified as a private pilot on January 9, 1982. According to his pilot log book he had a total flight time of 261.0 hours, and he had logged 8 hours within the last 90 days in a Glasair airplane. There were no biennial flight review entries in the pilot's log book. The pilot was the owner of Western Composite, where he designed, and built the aircraft. He was conducting the prototype aircraft's initial test flight at the time of the accident and was not wearing a helmet. The Vmax Probe aircraft is a single place, low wing airplane, with an airframe constructed primarily of composite materials. It was powered by a 808cc, 2-stroke, liquid cooled, 100 HP engine. The canopy and nose exterior skin of the aircraft had to be removed for the pilot to enter or exit. Witnesses reported to the FAA inspector that the pilot did not complete any high speed taxi tests prior to the accident flight; however, he did do "rudimentary" low speed taxi tests. Witnesses further reported that "immediately" after takeoff from runway 35, it
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an approach to landing. A related factor was the pilot's lack of experience in make and model of aircraft.
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Browse: Texas
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
