Smyth Sidewinder TD accident near Wichita Falls, TX
On August 20, 2022, a Smyth Sidewinder TD (airplane) was involved in an accident near Wichita Falls, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 20, 2022
- Place
- Wichita Falls, TX
- Aircraft
- Smyth Sidewinder TD · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 33.948°N, 98.615°W
- NTSB ID
- 20220820105771
Official records · WPR22FA311
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 20, 2022, about 1331 central daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built Smyth Sidewinder TD, N60JV, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Wichita Falls, Texas. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The airplane’s previous owner stated that he sold the airplane to the pilot on the morning of the accident. The pilot’s friend dropped him off in Wichita Falls around 0900 and the pilot was planning to fly the airplane to his home airport in Arkansas. That morning, the previous owner and the pilot reviewed the maintenance logbooks, airplane characteristics, checklist, operational features of the Garmin 560 GPS, and examined the airframe and engine. The airplane was fully fueled. After a thorough review, the pilot purchased the airplane. Thereafter, they started the engine and completed a run-up. The previous owner offered to stay in the airplane so the pilot could practice taking off and landing. The pilot declined and the previous owner exited the airplane. The previous owner and numerous other people at the airport witnessed the airplane depart runway 13. They observed the airplane align with the runway centerline and begin to accelerate. The pilot appeared to be making a 3-point takeoff with all the landing gear remaining on the runway surface. The airplane then became airborne at a slow speed and began a left turn, climbing to about 50-75 feet agl. The airplane assumed a nose-high attitude and the left turn tightened. The airplane im
Probable cause
The pilot’s inexperience with the airplane and inadequate takeoff procedures, which led to exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall during takeoff.
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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.
