After a Year of Mystery, NTSB Concludes Its Investigation Into Scott Bloomquist’s Fatal Flight — Ruling Out Earlier Claims of Intentional Suicide
After more than a year of speculation and uncertainty, the National Transportation Safety Board has released its final report on the plane crash that took the life of dirt racing icon Scott Bloomquist. The new findings mark a dramatic turn from the agency’s earlier preliminary assessment, which had suggested the 2024 crash may have been intentional. According to the final report released Friday, investigators have now concluded that the accident was caused by a combination of mechanical failure and spatial disorientation, officially ruling out suicide as a contributing factor.
Bloomquist, 60, died on August 16, 2024, when his single-engine aircraft went down shortly after takeoff from a private airstrip near his home in Mooresburg, Tennessee. The initial investigation cited irregularities in the flight path and lack of distress communication as reasons for suspecting an intentional act. However, the NTSB’s year-long review, which included reconstructed flight data, maintenance records, and newly recovered electronic components from the wreckage, paints a much different picture of what transpired in the final moments of the flight.
The final report states that an unexpected failure in the aircraft’s left aileron control system likely caused a sudden loss of roll control just minutes after takeoff. Data from the engine’s monitoring module indicated that Bloomquist attempted multiple corrective maneuvers in the seconds before impact, contradicting earlier assumptions that he made no effort to recover. Investigators also found evidence of dense morning fog in the area, reducing visibility and contributing to what they described as “pilot spatial disorientation in low-altitude flight.”
These findings directly challenge the preliminary analysis issued in late 2024, which had led to widespread speculation about Bloomquist’s mental state at the time of the crash. The new report makes clear that no evidence was ever found to support those early conclusions. “Based on all available physical, mechanical, and recorded data, the Board finds no indication that the pilot’s actions were intentional,” the report reads. “The probable cause of the accident was the failure of the left aileron control linkage, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control during initial climb.”
For Bloomquist’s friends, family, and the dirt racing community, the new findings bring a measure of relief and closure after months of painful uncertainty. “We’ve lived with a cloud over Scott’s memory for more than a year,” said longtime friend and former crew chief Tommy Hicks. “He was a fierce competitor, but also one of the most disciplined and focused people I’ve ever known. To see that his name is finally cleared means more than anyone can imagine.”
The news also resonated deeply among fans and fellow drivers who had followed Bloomquist’s legendary career spanning more than four decades. Known for his innovation and intensity, Bloomquist was a three-time national champion and one of the most influential figures in dirt late model racing. His creative approach to car design and his polarizing, rock-star persona made him a symbol of both excellence and rebellion in the sport. The crash, and especially the initial implication of suicide, had left a deep wound in the tight-knit racing community.
The NTSB’s final ruling restores much of Bloomquist’s legacy, confirming what many close to him had always believed. In interviews over the past year, friends repeatedly described Bloomquist as passionate and determined, but never despondent. “He was excited about his next project, about mentoring younger drivers,” said fellow racer and close friend Billy Moyer. “The idea that he would end his life never made sense to anyone who truly knew him.”
The NTSB’s final report also highlights the broader safety implications of the crash, noting that the type of mechanical failure involved had been reported in at least three similar aircraft models since 2020. The agency has issued a safety bulletin recommending updated maintenance procedures and inspections for aircraft using the same control linkage system.
While the report cannot erase the tragedy of that August morning, it provides long-awaited clarity and relief to those who admired and loved Bloomquist. The racing world is already planning a renewed tribute in his honor next spring at the Dirt Late Model Dream event in Eldora, where he captured some of his most iconic victories. For many, the final report closes one chapter of uncertainty and opens another—one that allows Scott Bloomquist to be remembered not for the speculation surrounding his death, but for the fearless spirit and unmatched legacy he left behind on the dirt tracks of America.