Amateur-built Tierra II accident near Hooker, Oklahoma, May 1, 2002
On May 1, 2002 at about 2:30 am local time, a amateur-built Tierra II, registered N3960D, was destroyed in an accident near Hooker, Oklahoma (Private Strip 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 loss of control for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 2002 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Hooker, Oklahoma · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Tierra II
- Registration
- N3960D · no longer on the register · serial 33447
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to a family member, the flight departed from a private airstrip. Approximately 30 minutes later, a witness heard the airplane maneuvering in an area east of the accident site. The flight did not return to the airstrip and family members became worried. Subsequently, the airplane was located by local authorities 1,000 yards east of the approach end of runway 18 in a field. There were no reported witnesses to the accident. Ground scars and wreckage distribution revealed that the airplane was traveling on a westerly heading before impacting the ground nose first with a slight left bank. A review of weather at the nearest weather reporting station revealed no significant weather near the time of the accident. No pre-impact anomalies were discovered with the airplane. The airplane's maintenance logbooks and the pilot's flight logbook were not located. An autopsy and toxicological testing did reveal any findings that would contribute to a loss of control of the airplane.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,695 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Hooker OK at 1:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.53 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from GUY, 15 miles away
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.