# Accident 20110923023319A: Beswick THORP T-18, Plainwell, MI, September 23, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 23, 2011, 08:45 local time
- Place: Plainwell, MI
- Airport: Plainwell Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.4678° N, 85.6481° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4678&lon=-85.6481&mi=10
- Aircraft: N54WB, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N54WB-2012-01-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beswick THORP T-18 (registry code 89510A8, https://openairdocs.org/model/beswick-thorp-t-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-290 series (registry code 41506, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-290-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BESWICK THORP T-18
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11FA663](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA663) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110923023319A

## Narrative

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

TWO PILOTS IN TWO AIRPLANES WERE FLYING TOGETHER FROM TRAVERSE CITY, MICHIGAN, AIRPORT. BOTH CONDUCTED VERY LOW APPROACHES TO  RUNWAY 09 AT THE PLAINWELL, MICHIGAN, AIRPORT (61D). PRIOR TO REACHING THE RUNWAY. THE FIRST AIRPLANE MADE A SUCCESSFUL LANDING BUT THE SECOND AIRPLANE HIT THE AFT END OF A TRUCK-TRAILER COMBINATION TRAVELING NORTH ON HIGHWAY 131. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE TRUCK, IT CAME TO REST IN THE DITCH BESIDE THE HIGHWAY AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE SOLE OCCUPANT RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. INVESTIGATION INTO THE PILOT'S COMPETENCE SHOWED THAT THE PILOT HAD NOT RECEIVED THE REQUIRED FLIGHT REVIEW WITHIN THE REGULATORY REQUIRED TIME.THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

## 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 CEN11FA663](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11FA663), Sep 23, 2011: Thorp T-18 (N54WB), Plainwell, MI, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain clearance from a semitrailer along the approach path.

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.