Lockheed P-38L accident near Tillamook, OR
On June 7, 1997, a Lockheed P-38L (airplane) was involved in an accident near Tillamook, OR. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 7, 1997
- Place
- Tillamook, OR
- Aircraft
- Lockheed P-38L · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 45.459°N, 123.710°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08240
Official records · SEA97FA130
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 6, 1997, approximately 1800 Pacific daylight time, a Lockheed P-38L "Lightning," retaining a limited airworthiness registration, N7973, registered to Bruce L. Pruett, and being flown by a commercial pilot, was destroyed during collision with terrain following a loss of control while on visual approach to the Tillamook airport, Tillamook, Oregon. The pilot was fatally injured and a post crash fire destroyed a portion of the aircraft. Visual meteorological conditions existed, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight, which was a practice run for an upcoming P-38 pilot convention (including the pilot's father, a World War II P-38 pilot), was to have been operated under 14CFR91. The pilot/owner of N2114L, a P-38L sister ship nearly identical to N7973, and which was restored to flying condition several months earlier, was interviewed. He reported that both N2114L and N7973 took off from the Tillamook airport between approximately 1715-1730. He reported logging approximately 20-25 minutes of flight time on the flight (in N2114L). He also reported taking off immediately before N7973 and was ahead of the aircraft during his approach and landing. An 8 millimeter video recording, made by the manager of the Tillamook Naval Air Station Museum, and showing the takeoff of both P-38's, was reviewed. It was noted that both aircraft started their engines nearly simultaneously and N2114L (the olive green P-38L) departed immediately ahead of N7973 (the silver P-38L). The duration of this tape, which concluded with N2114L taxiing in to the ramp following its flig
Probable cause
failure of the pilot to maintain minimum control speed (VMC), after loss of power in one engine, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain. Related factors were: the pilot's improper fuel management and failure to change the fuel selector position before a fuel tank had emptied, which led to fuel starvation and loss of power in one engine; and the pilot's lack of fami
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Browse: Oregon · Lockheed aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
