Warth Dennis J Classic Sport S-18 accident near Tea, SD
On July 24, 2010, a Warth Dennis J Classic Sport S-18 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Tea, SD. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 24, 2010
- Place
- Tea, SD
- Aircraft
- Warth Dennis J Classic Sport S-18 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 43.457°N, 96.802°W
- NTSB ID
- 20100725X03807
Official records · CEN10LA429
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 23, 2010, at 2020 central daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Warth Classic Sport S-18, N216TB, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a cornfield after a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff from runway 16 (3,650 feet by 60 feet asphalt) at the Lincoln County Airport (Y14), Tea, South Dakota. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight departed Y14 on a local flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was filed. A witness reported that he spoke to the pilot shortly before the accident. He stated that the pilot was going to fly the accident airplane on a maintenance test flight because he had recently installed a throttle body fuel injection system in place of the original carburetor. The pilot had also installed new engine baffles and a Vans RV-4 intake scoop. The witness observed the pilot conduct the pre-takeoff and engine run-up procedures. He reported that the engine hesitated and failed to run up to full RPM on the first attempt. The engine “went flat and lost RPM” on the second attempt. He reported that the third run-up was successful and the engine attained full RPM. He reported the takeoff roll was normal with the engine developing full power. The airplane rotated normally and climbed straight ahead to about 500 – 600 feet above ground level (agl). The airplane entered a left crosswind turn. The witness reported that he observed a “brief puff” of dark, black smoke coming from the exhaust. The airplane, which wa
Probable cause
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons and the pilot's loss of airplane control, which led to an aerodynamic stall.
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Browse: South Dakota
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
