20151106020799A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Thorp T-18 · Independence, OR · November 6, 2015

Date: November 6, 2015 · 15:30 local
Place: Independence, OR
Airport: Independence State
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N1488
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR16LA023
Reported as: Thorp T-18
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 620 total5 in the last 90 days

N1488Registered now · Thorp T-18S/N 303 Airframe modelThorp T-18 Engine 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.

On departure for second trip around the traffic pattern, canopy support beam failed causing the aft portion of the canopy to separate from the aircraft. Approximately 3/4 of the canopy plexiglass shattered. The pilot reduced power to land in a field. The decision to land was based upon fear that the rest of the canopy could separate and damage the tail of the aircraft, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable. The aircraft landed hard and rolled into a fence post

As the FAA filed it

ON DEPARTURE FOR SECOND TRIP AROUND THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, CANOPY SUPPORT BEAM FAILED CAUSING THE AFT PORTION OF THE CANOPY TO SEPARATE FROM THE AIRCRAFT. APPROXIMATELY 3/4 OF THE CANOPY PLEXIGLASS SHATTERED. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER TO LAND IN A FIELD. THE DECISION TO LAND WAS BASED UPON FEAR THAT THE REST OF THE CANOPY COULD SEPARATE AND DAMAGE THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT, RENDERING THE AIRCRAFT UNCONTROLLABLE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND ROLLED INTO A FENCE POST

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 WPR16LA023Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportIndependence, ORA separation of the canopy mechanism during flight, which resulted in the pilot’s precautionary landing and the airplane’s subsequent collision with a fence post.Nov 6, 2015 · Substantial damage