Titan Tornado

The pilot of a homemade Titan Tornado airplane was killed on the morning of August 12, 2008 when his aircraft crashed into a car on the Interstate 40 highway near Needles, CA.

According to the Barstow Desert Dispatch, a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) spokesman said the airplane first landed in the westbound lanes of the I-40 before attempting to takeoff to the east. The Titan Tornado managed to rise approximately three feet off the ground before it struck a Ford Fusion automobile. The pilot was ejected from the plane and pronounced dead at the scene while the three people in the car suffered only minor injuries.

Fast Facts

1. The pilot was a 68-year-old man from Bullhead City, AZ
2. The pilot's name was not immediately released, pending notification of the family
3. The Titan Tornado was described as a lightweight two-seater with a rear-mounted engine, made primarily of fiberglass
4. The Titan Aircraft company sells several types of lightweight, sport aircraft build-it-yourself kits, including the Titan Tornado
5. The pilot was killed, 3 other people were injured
6. Both westbound lanes of the Interstate 40 were closed until almost 2 p.m. PDT while the accident was investigated
7. While the I-40 was closed, traffic was diverted to U.S. Route 95
8. The accident occurred in Eastern San Bernardino County, CA, approximately 10 miles west of Needles
9. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating
10. The car involved in the accident was a Ford Fusion

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