Amateur-built QUICKIE TRI-Q/200 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, June 26, 1998
On June 26, 1998 at about 1:15 pm local time, a amateur-built QUICKIE TRI-Q/200, registered N699WB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Fort Worth Spinks 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control when an excessive taxispeed resulted in an inadvertent lift-off of the airplane. A factor was the pilot's lack of total experience in the make and model of aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1998 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Fort Worth Spinks · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICKIE TRI-Q/200 QUICKIE TR
- Registration
- N699WB · no longer on the register · serial 2701
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a high speed taxi at the non towered airport, the homebuilt Quickie airplane inadvertently became airborne. The airplane entered vertical oscillations combined with yawing & banking, rolled inverted and descended vertically to ground impact. The 556 hr pilot/owner/builder had 6 hrs of dual in the past 12 years. He had 50+ hrs of taxi runs in the Quickie; however, no flight time and 'no intention of flying the airplane.' The pilot's manual recommends 10 hrs of flying time within the 3 months prior to flight testing the airplane, and during taxi tests to 'always be prepared for a liftoff and first flight if it should accidentally occur.' Lift-off speed is given as 70 mph. Another pilot reported that a bump on the runway caused the nose wheel to lift-off once when he was taxiing the airplane. This pilot, who also had the airplane inadvertently lift-off in ground effect at 85 mph, experienced 'no control problems.' Flight control continuity was confirmed. No pre-impact discrepancies were found.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 556 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1998; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWS at 1:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17R, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:25 pm from FTW, 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.