# Accident 19980411006499A: Amtr THORPT18, Morrilton, AR, April 11, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 1998, 19:20 local time
- Place: Morrilton, AR
- Airport: Petit Jean Park
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.1493° N, 92.7395° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.1493&lon=-92.7395&mi=10
- Aircraft: N18WX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18WX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Waxenfelter Jack G THORP T-18 (registry code 05603U6, https://openairdocs.org/model/waxenfelter-jack-g-thorp-t-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR THORPT18
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,137 total, 99 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA181) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980411006499A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(TTY) ACFT RAN OFF THE RWY AFTER LANDING AND STRUCK TREES. MORRILTON, AR. (.4)DURING LANDING ROLL ON RUNWAY 20, THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY VEERED LEFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY IMPACTING A TREE.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 'VERY LITTLE' CROSS WIND CORRECTION WAS REQUIRED DURING THE LANDING.  DURING THE LANDING ROLL, HE HELD THE TAIL OFF UNTIL IT CAME DOWN 'NORMALLY.'  A SHORT DISTANCE AFTER THE TAIL WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO VEER TO THE LEFT.  'NORMAL AMOUNT OF CORRECTION (RIGHT RUDDER) WAS TOTALLY INEFFECTIVE.'  THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY WITH 'FULL RIGHT RUDDER, RIGHT BRAKE LOCKED, AND STICK FULL BACK.'  THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERING TO THE RIGHT WHEN IT SLID INTO A TREE.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 170 DEGREES AT 4 TO 5 KNOTS.  HIS EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER THE EVENT DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS. THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED AT TOTAL OF 99 HOURS IN HIS TAILWHEEL EQUIPPED AIRPLANE.                                                                      (-23) AT ABOUT 7:20 PM ON 04/11/98, WAXENFELTER T-18, N18WX, PILOTED BY OWNER/BUILDER JACK WAXENFELTER, EXECUTED A CROSSWIND APPROACH AND LANDING AT P ETIT JEAN PARK AIRPORT (MPJ). THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL, BUT ON ROLL-OUT, APPROXIMATELY 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOST, AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, COLLIDING WITH TREES ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, BUT NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE PASSENGER WERE INJURED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL ON ROLL-OUT WAS THE FACT THAT THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED THAT PORTION OF THE RUNWAY THAT TRANSITIONS FROM OPEN FIELDS TO A CLEARED OPENING THROUGH A WOODED ARE, CHANGING THE CHARACTERISTICS AND PREDICTABILITY OF THE CROSSWIND. ALSO, THE MAIN TIRES WERE CARRYING 40 PSI PRESSURE, WHICH NEGATIVELY INFLUENCED THE AIRCRAFT'S GROUND HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW98LA181](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA181), Apr 12, 1998: Waxenfelter Thorp T-18 (N18WX), Morrilton, AR, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing roll.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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