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20020925025039A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Amtr T18 · Valley Center, CA · September 25, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
September 25, 2002 · 13:00 local
Place
Valley Center, CA
Airport
Blackinton Airport
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N60LW
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX02LA296
Reported as
Amtr T18
Fatal injuries
0
N60LWRegistration cancelled Oct 22, 2003 · Whetzel Lawrence C THORPE T-18S/N 1109 · Built 1993Airframe modelWhetzel Lawrence C THORPE T-18Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(.19) On, September 25, 2002, about 1300 hours pacific daylight time, an experimental whetzel thorpe T-18, N60LW, made a forced landing at the Blackinton private airstrip near Valley Center, California. The private pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The pilot received minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The local personal flight departed the ramona, California, airport about 1240. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and it has not been determined if a flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 33 degrees 15.5 minutes north latitude and 117 degrees 05 minutes west longitude. The airplane had exited the runway and impacted a dirt hill, shearing the landing gear along with the propeller. According to a federal aviation administration inspector, no fuel was found in the fuel tanks. The inpector also reported that the pilot was flying the airplane with an inoperable fuel gauge. (-23) pilot stated he experienced engine problems and made a landing at the nearest airfield (Blackinton, a private strip). Upon landing with flaps up, he failed to stop before contacting the hill at the end of the runway. No skid marks were found on the runway, to indicated emergency braking action. The fuel tank gage did not indicate at all and the tank was found empty. The pilot stated the indicator does not work and he visually checks before flight, but he uses auto gas which has no color, so hard to determine quantity.

As the FAA filed it

(.19) ON, SEPTEMBER 25, 2002, ABOUT 1300 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL WHETZEL THORPE T-18, N60LW, MADE A FORCED LANDING AT THE BLACKINTON PRIVATE AIRSTRIP NEAR VALLEY CENTER, CALIFORNIA. THE PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER WAS OPERATING THE AIRPLANE UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE LOCAL PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED THE RAMONA, CALIFORNIA, AIRPORT ABOUT 1240. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND IT HAS NOT BEEN DETERMINED IF A FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PRIMARY WRECKAGE WAS AT 33 DEGREES 15.5 MINUTES NORTH LATITUDE AND 117 DEGREES 05 MINUTES WEST LONGITUDE. THE AIRPLANE HAD EXITED THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED A DIRT HILL, SHEARING THE LANDING GEAR ALONG WITH THE PROPELLER. ACCORDING TO A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANKS. THE INPECTOR ALSO REPORTED THAT THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE AIRPLANE WITH AN INOPERABLE FUEL GAUGE. (-23) PILOT STATED HE EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS AND MADE A LANDING AT THE NEAREST AIRFIELD (BLACKINTON, A PRIVATE STRIP). UPON LANDING WITH FLAPS UP, HE FAILED TO STOP BEFORE CONTACTING THE HILL AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY. NO SKID MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE RUNWAY, TO INDICATED EMERGENCY BRAKING ACTION. THE FUEL TANK GAGE DID NOT INDICATE AT ALL AND THE TANK WAS FOUND EMPTY. THE PILOT STATED THE INDICATOR DOES NOT WORK AND HE VISUALLY CHECKS BEFORE FLIGHT, BUT HE USES AUTO GAS WHICH HAS NO COLOR, SO HARD TO DETERMINE QUANTITY.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX02LA296Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportValley Center, CAthe pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation by not verifying the fuel supply, and his inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power. A factor in the accident was the pilot's decision to initiate…Sep 25, 2002 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N60LW · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19980815029889ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Rantoul, IL(-23) While landing at the Rantoul airport, Rantoul, IL, the appropriately certificated private pilot lost directional control of the aircraft while attempting to land on runway 27. The aircraft veered off the left side of the runway and flipped over on its…Aug 15, 1998 · Substantial damageIncident 19980507019899ILevel Off Touchdown · Monongahela, PABlown off left side of runway. Prop struck landing light. Aircraft stopped in grass.May 7, 1998 · Reported as Amtrth THORPT18 · Minor damage