Amateur-built TINKER BELL accident near La Porte, Texas, July 18, 2009
On July 18, 2009 at about 3:10 pm local time, a amateur-built TINKER BELL, registered N62431, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near La Porte, Texas (La Porte Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2009 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- La Porte, Texas · La Porte Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TINKER BELL
- Registration
- N62431 · no longer on the register · serial 3
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Several days before the accident, a witness observed the airplane during takeoff while it was about 20 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane appeared to be attempting to climb but remained at a low altitude. The airplane cleared the trees at the edge of the airport and the witness eventually lost sight of it. On the day of the accident, other witnesses observed the airplane at approximately 100 to 200 feet agl during its takeoff. The airplane did not appear to be climbing and the engine was still running when the airplane began to descend, maintaining a nose up attitude all the way to impact. The airplane came to rest upright, with crush damage to the fuselage. The engine and both wings were partially separated. The pilot did not hold a pilot certificate and the airplane had never been issued an airworthiness certificate.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 26 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 26 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T41 La Porte TX at 3:10 pm
- Destination: JAS Jasper TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,165 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from HOU, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N62431 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.