# NTSB CEN22LA432: Hibbard Norman E Thorp T-18, N18NH, Del Norte, CO, September 25, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: September 25, 2022, 14:11 local (20:11 UTC)
- Place: Del Norte, CO · rwy
- Coordinates: 37.713784, -106.35201 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7138&lon=-106.3520&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106002
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA432
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106002/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106002
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA432

## Probable cause

The pilot’s loss of airplane control during landing due to a wind gust.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05623VE), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: gusts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md?model=05623VE), [All aircraft, 1,199 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034045/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=05623VE), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=05623VE), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=05623VE), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=05623VE), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=05623VE), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, the wind at the airport was from “082° at 7 knots” based on the automated observation. He entered a right traffic pattern and saw “no change” on the windsock before landing. After landing, the passenger commented that the windsock had changed. About that time, “the right wing came back up” and the airplane “swerved” to the right. The pilot initially added full engine power to go-around; however, he was unable to regain directional control and reduced engine power to idle. The airplane departed the runway and subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies which would have precluded normal operation. The vertical stabilizer and rudder sustained substantial damage during the accident.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N18NH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N18NH), registered now, S/N 1313, built 1993 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: HIBBARD NORMAN E THORP T-18
- Registry model: [Hibbard Norman E THORP T-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/hibbard-norman-e-thorp-t-18) (registry code 05623VE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming O&VO-360 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (registry code 41514, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 1313
- Year built: 1993
- Airframe hours: 622.7
- Engines: Lycoming O-360-A1D 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, September 1, 2022
- Departed: SEZ, Sedona, AZ
- Destination: RCV, Del Norte, CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: RCV, Astronaut Kent Rominger, runway 6, 6,051 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 78; injuries: minor; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: basicmed, without waivers/limitations; last flight review August 14, 2021; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 10,200 total, 250 in this make and model, 10,000 as pilot in command, 23 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 30.43 inHg
- Observed at: KRCV, 0.5 nm away
- METAR: METAR KRCV 252015Z AUTO 12006KT 10SM CLR 21/02 A3043

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20220925015859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220925015859A), Sep 25, 2022: Thorpe T18C, Del Norte, CO, Substantial damage. On September 25, 2022 at approximately 1330 MST, a Thorpe T18C aircraft was blown off to the right of runway 06 by a crosswind/micro burst during landing…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 18, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106002. 878 KB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 442 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14584178&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Stmt%20--%20CEN22LA432_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Accident photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 436 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14583747&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20--%20CEN22LA432-Rel.pdf

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.

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