Amateur-built TACHIKI 750 CRUZER accident near Spanish Fork, Utah, January 14, 2022
On January 14, 2022 at about 7:48 pm local time, a 2019 amateur-built TACHIKI 750 CRUZER, registered N145WT, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Spanish Fork, Utah (Spanish Fork Muni/Woodhouse Fl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to an obstructed catalytic converter, which most likely resulted from the pilot’s failure to properly repair or replace it after it was likely damaged during a previous incident. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the forced landing, which led to an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle-of-attack and an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2022 · about 7:48 pm local time
- Place
- Spanish Fork, Utah · Spanish Fork Muni/Woodhouse Fl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built TACHIKI 750 CRUZER, built 2019
- Registration
- N145WT · registry record · serial WTI
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on the local accident flight after having repaired his airplane following a landing incident that occurred 18 months earlier. Shortly after departure, he observed a partial loss of engine power and was unable to maintain altitude. He immediately returned to the airport, but, while maneuvering toward the runway, he made a tight left turn, which likely resulted in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an accelerated stall. The airplane entered a nose-down dive and impacted a rooftop. Postaccident examination of the airframe did not reveal any preimpact mechanical anomalies that could have precluded the pilot from controlling the airplane. Examination of the engine revealed that most of the internal components were likely operational at the time of impact. However, the catalytic converter contained several broken pieces of ceramic substrate that had separated during the previous accident. As there were no other preimpact mechanical anomalies with the engine, it is likely that broken substrate blocked the engine exhaust gas path following combustion, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during the accident flight. The pilot straightened the bent exhaust tailpipe after the landing incident and re-welded the catalytic converter. However, he did not inspect, repair, or replace the catalytic converter before the accident flight even after debris was emitted from the tailpipe on subsequent engine starts.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern base)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Repair › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 66 hours in all; 3.7 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 13, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honda VTEC (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SPK Spanish Fork UT at 7:00 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.45 inHg
- Observation at 12:56 pm from KPVU, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPVU 141956Z VRB06KT 6SM HZ FEW060 03/M03 A3045 RMK AO2 SLP328 T00331028
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR22LA080.