Amateur-built TITAN TORNADO accident near Libertytown, Maryland, August 20, 2000
On August 20, 2000 at about 1:23 pm local time, a amateur-built TITAN TORNADO, registered N61246, was substantially damaged in an accident near Libertytown, Maryland (Harrison Field). 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
An engine seizure due to improper reconditioning of piston/cylinder after a previous seizure. A factor was the unsuitable terrain, to which, the forced landing was made.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2000 · about 1:23 pm local time
- Place
- Libertytown, Maryland · Harrison Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TITAN TORNADO TITAN TORN
- Registration
- N61246 · no longer on the register · serial 267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A day earlier, while maneuvering, the airplane's engine failed, which resulted in a forced landing to a field. The airplane was trucked back to the originating airfield, and the pilot spent the rest of the afternoon trying to troubleshoot the problem. He replaced the fuel filter, pulled and checked the spark plugs, and hand-turned the engine numerous times. On the day of the accident, the pilot refueled the airplane, and took off on a test flight. Just after takeoff, the engine failed again. The pilot immediately lowered the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed. He then looked for a field, but could only see trees. The last thing he remembered, was making a turn, for about 160 degrees. Post-accident engine examination revealed piston and cylinder wall scrapings, consistent with a 'cold seizure', resulting from a thermal imbalance. Further examination revealed signs of overlapping seizure damage, consistent with the engine having experienced another seizure, prior to the accident flight.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 815 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 788 as pilot in command; 394 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 159 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 2000; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 618 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 8W2 New Market VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from BWI, 25 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.