What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On Wednesday, October 10, 2007, at approximately 7:00 pm central time, a thorp, T-18, operated by a certificated airline transport pilot, (ATP), was substantially damaged after experiencing loss of directional control while attempting a landing at Welcome Field (35KY), a private grass strip near Franklin, KY. The pilot and passenger received minor injuries. According to a statement provided by the pilot, the flight originated at 35KY for a VFR night flight around the area. The flight originated just prior to sunset and consisted of flying to bowling green, KY (bwg), executing a low approach without landing on rwy 3, then continuing on to russellville, KY (4M7), circling the field without landing and then returning to 35KY. The pilot stated he flew a low approach to the easterly rwy to check for deer and then circled to land on the easterly rwy at an approach speed of 65 to 70 KTS. According to the pilot, touchdown occurred within 500 feet of the runway end and upon touchdown the landing lights failed and due to the "bumps" in the runway, the aircraft became airborne and upon the next touchdown, the pilot stated he feels he overbraked causing the tail of the aircraft to rise and subsequently "flip" over onto the top. According to the pilot, portland AWOS indicated the winds at the time of the accident were 350 degrees at 4-5 KTS. Weather was VFR conditions.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2007, AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 PM CENTRAL TIME, A THORP, T-18, OPERATED BY A CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, (ATP), WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER EXPERIENCING LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE ATTEMPTING A LANDING AT WELCOME FIELD (35KY), A PRIVATE GRASS STRIP NEAR FRANKLIN, KY. THE PILOT AND PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE PILOT, THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 35KY FOR A VFR NIGHT FLIGHT AROUND THE AREA. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED JUST PRIOR TO SUNSET AND CONSISTED OF FLYING TO BOWLING GREEN, KY (BWG), EXECUTING A LOW APPROACH WITHOUT LANDING ON RWY 3, THEN CONTINUING ON TO RUSSELLVILLE, KY (4M7), CIRCLING THE FIELD WITHOUT LANDING AND THEN RETURNING TO 35KY. THE PILOT STATED HE FLEW A LOW APPROACH TO THE EASTERLY RWY TO CHECK FOR DEER AND THEN CIRCLED TO LAND ON THE EASTERLY RWY AT AN APPROACH SPEED OF 65 TO 70 KTS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED WITHIN 500 FEET OF THE RUNWAY END AND UPON TOUCHDOWN THE LANDING LIGHTS FAILED AND DUE TO THE "BUMPS" IN THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE AND UPON THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT STATED HE FEELS HE OVERBRAKED CAUSING THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO RISE AND SUBSEQUENTLY "FLIP" OVER ONTO THE TOP. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, PORTLAND AWOS INDICATED THE WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 350 DEGREES AT 4-5 KTS. WEATHER WAS VFR CONDITIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.