Titan Mustang T-51 accident near Brighton, CO
On September 2, 2020, a Titan Mustang T-51 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Brighton, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 2, 2020
- Place
- Brighton, CO
- Aircraft
- Titan Mustang T-51 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 39.995°N, 104.714°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200902X52734
Official records · CEN20LA375
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 2, 2020, at 1213 mountain daylight time, a Titan Mustang T-51 airplane, N153JW, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Brighton, Colorado. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. After takeoff the pilot proceeded about 10 miles to the east before returning to the airport and overflying the runway; he executed either a touch-and-go (landing and takeoff) or a low approach. He then entered a right-hand traffic pattern and completed a touch-and-go. Video footage of that touch-and-go indicated the pilot executed a normal approach and wheel landing. The subsequent takeoff appeared normal. No anomalies with respect to the airframe or engine were evident in the video. A witness reported the airplane entered a right turn after the final takeoff and climbed to about 200 ft above ground level (agl). Shortly afterward, the airplane appeared to become “unstable” and “rolled over and entered into a spin.” An airplane performance study based on the automatic dependent surveillance – broadcast (ADS-B) data indicated that, after the final takeoff, the airplane climbed to about 5,200 ft mean sea level (175 ft agl) and accelerated to about 90 mph (78 knots). Over the next 4 seconds, the airplane slowed to about 70 mph (61 knots). Shortly afterward, the airplane entered a gradual descent as the airspeed continued to decay. The bank angle increased and ultimately exceeded 90°. The airplane impacted an open field about 0.60 nm northwest of the departure end of the run
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of airplane control while maneuvering in the traffic pattern.
More accidents in CO
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-14, Nov 15, 1987
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- Beech 1900, Jan 28, 2026
- Douglas DC3, Mar 9, 2019
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Browse: Colorado
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
