Niva Thorp T-18 accident near Wellington, FL
On August 19, 2007, a Niva Thorp T-18 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Wellington, FL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 19, 2007
- Place
- Wellington, FL
- Aircraft
- Niva Thorp T-18 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 26.641°N, 80.290°W
- NTSB ID
- 20070822X01224
NTSB summary
On August 19, 2007, at 0928 eastern daylight time, a Thorp T-18 experimental airplane, N6GN, crashed into a field shortly after takeoff from the Wellington Aero Club Airport (FD38), West Palm Beach, Florida. The certificated private pilot and passenger were killed, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was operated as a personal flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91, and no flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident. Witnesses stated that about 300 feet above the ground, in level flight, the airplane’s engine quit. The airplane was then observed executing a left turn in an attempt to return to the airport. During the left turn, the airplane began to descend at a rapid rate impacting the ground. The pilot, age 40, held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating, issued on February 17, 2005, and a second-class medical certificate issued on September 22, 2004, with no restrictions. Examination of the accident site by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) found that the airplane had impacted the ground in a slightly nose and right wing low attitude sliding 129 feet before coming to rest. Examination of the wreckage found the engine separated from its mounts and angled to the right. The right wing had separated outboard of the wing flap. Examination of the engine by the FAA found that the engine rotated freely and had continuity through the accessory section. Water was observed in various portions of the fuel system. The most signific
Probable cause
A loss of engine power due to a partially blocked intake manifold and water contamination of the fuel.
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Browse: Florida
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
