N624RF

On May 22, 1999, at 1450 Eastern Daylight Time, a Robert W. Farrell, Titan Tornado II, N624RF, collided with a telephone pole and a mailbox during an emergency landing on a road near Ashboro, North Carolina after an engine failure. The personal flight was operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the private pilot was not injured. The flight departed Greenville, South Carolina, at 1300 Eastern Daylight Time. The pilot reported that Liberty, North Carolina, was the flight's destination.

The pilot stated that approximately 24 miles from his destination, he noticed an area of thunderstorm activity between his position and his destination. At that point, the pilot reversed course and elected to land at an airport that he had flown over moments before. After the pilot executed an 180-degree turn, the engine lost power. The pilot decided to attempt an emergency landing on a nearby paved road. During landing, according to the pilot, he applied full brakes and tried to stop the airplane before coming to a sharp curve in the road. The pilot stated that he "dropped a wheel off to the right of the road, hoping to slow down in the grass." The airplane subsequently departed the road, colliding with a telephone pole and a mailbox, and rolled over on its left side.

Additionally, the pilot reported that as he cruised at 2500 feet, he noticed a lowering of the out side air temperature as the neared the location of the accident site. He stated that his decision to divert was based upon weather information received from flight watch.

The post-accident examination of the airplane and the engine assembly failed to disclose a mechanical problem. During the engine examination, fuel was traced from the fuel tank to the carburetor. Several gallons of aviation fuel were recovered from the fuel system. The internal examination of the engine disclosed that the piston tops were clean, and a film of engine oil was on the cylinder walls. Engine drive train rotation was also established.

A review of weather data disclosed that weather conditions were favorable for the formation of carburetor ice. Weather data from the nearest reporting facility showed a temperature of 82 degrees, and a dew point of 52 at the approximate time of the accident. The pilot reported approaching an area of thunderstorm activity.