Cosmos PHASE 3 accident near Wayne, Oklahoma, September 19, 2020
On September 19, 2020 at about 11:45 pm local time, a 2004 Cosmos PHASE 3 (weight-shift aircraft), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N7024L, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Wayne, Oklahoma (Private Airstrip 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
A loss of control while taxiing for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2020 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Wayne, Oklahoma · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cosmos PHASE 3, built 2004, amateur-built
- Registration
- N7024L · registry record · serial C1091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was taxiing the weight-shift control aircraft to the runway to depart when his wife heard a loud “bang” from inside the house. There were no witnesses to the accident. The aircraft was found upright against a fence along a grass taxiway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot’s son reported that his father recently replaced the throttle cable on the aircraft. After the throttle cable change, the pilot reported the throttle cable was “sticking.” The engine was examined, and the throttle cable was found installed correctly at the engine and at the cockpit. The throttle cable at the cockpit throttle control position did not have a full range of motion and was found jammed with little to no movement available; however, whether this occurred before the accident or was the result of impact damage could not be determined. Available medical information provided no evidence that a medical factor contributed to the accident. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with a loss of control while the pilot was taxiing the aircraft; however, the reason for the loss of control could not be determined based on the available evidence.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during taxi (to runway)
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (to runway) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during taxi (to runway)
The NTSB's findings
- Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 840 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax Aircraft Engines 912UL (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from KPVJ, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 7, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Various Statements | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.