Reilly THORP T-18 accident near Wagoner, OK
On September 13, 1997, a Reilly THORP T-18 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Wagoner, OK. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 13, 1997
- Place
- Wagoner, OK
- Aircraft
- Reilly THORP T-18 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.950°N, 95.379°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001208X08844
NTSB summary
On September 13, 1997, at 1340 central daylight time, a Reilly Thorp T-18 experimental airplane, N16LE, registered to the pilot (builder of the airplane), impacted a shallow lake following a loss of control during approach for landing at Wagoner Airstrip, Wagoner, Oklahoma. The private pilot was fatally injured, and the pilot-rated passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 demonstration flight. The flight, which originated from Wagoner Airstrip at 1300, was intended for the owner/pilot to demonstrate the aircraft to the passenger who was a potential buyer. The pilot-rated passenger reported in an interview, that he had contacted the owner approximately 1 week prior to the accident to inquire about potentially purchasing the airplane. He stated that he wanted to see whether the airplane would be suited for operating out of his private grass airstrip. He further stated that he had heard that the Thorp T-18 had relatively high stall speed characteristics and high landing speeds which may not be compatible with his 2,000 foot runway. An agreement was made for the owner to demonstrate a flight to see how the airplane performed during short field operations. Additionally, he stated that he does not have any recollection of the event. His resultant injuries required extensive hospitalization for months after the accident. After about 40 minutes of local flight, the airplane entered into a left downwind for runway 17 at Wagoner Airstrip. Several witnesses observed the airplane in a lef
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed.
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Browse: Oklahoma
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
