Bowman Titan Tornado II accident near Needles, CA
On August 12, 2008, a Bowman Titan Tornado II (airplane) was involved in an accident near Needles, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 12, 2008
- Place
- Needles, CA
- Aircraft
- Bowman Titan Tornado II · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 34.879°N, 114.752°W
- NTSB ID
- 20080911X01433
Official records · LAX08LA266
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On August 12, 2008, about 0805 Pacific daylight time (PDT), a Bowman Titan Tornado II, N3156B, collided with a car on Interstate 40 during a low altitude maneuver near Needles, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot was killed, and the three occupants in the car sustained minor injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The flight departed from an unknown location at an unknown time. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. A witness reported that he was driving a tractor-trailer truck southbound on highway US 95. About 2 miles north of Interstate 40 (I-40), a southbound airplane flew about 10 feet above his truck. It was flying straight and level, and did not appear to be in distress. The propeller was turning, but the witness did not recall hearing the sounds of the engine. The airplane made a sharp left turn as it approached I-40, and then he lost sight of it. The driver of a car headed westbound on I-40 stated that she was in the number one lane, and traveling about 70 miles per hour. The airplane suddenly appeared in front of her as it approached from the opposite direction. It was in a left wing low position, and about 3 feet off the ground. She was unable to avoid colliding with it. A witness driving behind the accident car observed the airplane as it was flying about 30 feet above ground level in a southerly direction. He said that it made a hard left turn, and thought that the pilot was trying to land on t
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a vehicle during a low-altitude flight over a highway.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
