Amateur-built PROWLER JAGUAR accident near Salinas, California, June 1, 2012
On June 1, 2012 at about 5:59 pm local time, a amateur-built PROWLER JAGUAR, registered N125CW, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Salinas, California (Salinas Municipal 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 inability to maintain airplane control during takeoff due to an incapacitating cardiac event.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2012 · about 5:59 pm local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PROWLER JAGUAR
- Registration
- N125CW · no longer on the register · serial 0012
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses reported that the airplane accelerated down the runway, and immediately after takeoff the nose pitched up, and the airplane stalled, rolled, pitched down, and impacted the ground nose first. A postaccident examination of the flight control surfaces revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The forensic pathologist who performed the postmortem examination of the pilot reported that the pilot experienced a sudden cardiac event as a result of coronary artery atherosclerosis while piloting the airplane. The cardiac event is commonly associated with sudden unexpected death and would have resulted in incapacitation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Cardiovascular › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ama/Expr Rodeck V8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KSNS Salinas CA
- Destination: KSNS Salinas CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 26, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 6:01 pm from KSNS
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.
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.