Amateur-built TAYLOR TITCH accident near Liberty, North Carolina, March 23, 1985
On March 23, 1985 at about 5:45 pm local time, a amateur-built TAYLOR TITCH, registered N9438, was destroyed in an accident near Liberty, North Carolina (Causey airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1985 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Liberty, North Carolina · Causey · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TAYLOR TITCH TAYLOR TIT
- Registration
- N9438 · no longer on the register · serial RITP 10
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO WITNESSES INTERVIEWED, PILOT MADE A TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 2, HOLDING THE PLANE JUST A FEW FEET OFF THE RUNWAY WITH A STEEP PULL UP AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. IT WAS THEN OBSERVED DOING A STEEP BANK, LOW ALTITUDE 180 DEGREE TURN AND PROCEEDED DIAGONALLY BACK ACROSS THE RUNWAY AT AN ALTITUDE LESS THAN 25 FEET AND MADE ANOTHER STEEP PULL-UP AND ANOTHER STEEP TURN AT WHICH TIME THE AIRPLANE FLEW INTO THE GROUND.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 322 hours in all; 313 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 15, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 745 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2A5 Liberty NC
- Destination: 41A Madison NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:45 pm from 2A5
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.