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