# NTSB ERA11CA487: Karibian Hurant Thorp T-18, N407HK, Panama City, FL, September 10, 2011

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: September 10, 2011, 13:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place: Panama City, FL
- Coordinates: 30.102777, -85.474998
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.1028&lon=-85.4750&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: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report January 18, 2012
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 81776
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA11CA487
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81776/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81776
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11CA487

## Probable cause

The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which resulted in a collision with a culvert.

## Findings

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

- [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Karibian Hurant THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=89510R8), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Decision related to condition (probable cause); cases with it: [Karibian Hurant THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000/cases.md?model=89510R8), [All aircraft, 224 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Landing area undershoot](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370); cases with it: [Karibian Hurant THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md?model=89510R8), [All aircraft, 201 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/370/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Karibian Hurant THORP T-18, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=89510R8), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, he entered the traffic pattern with the intention of landing on the southern part of the private turf runway in order to avoid construction on the new paved runway. According to a witness, the pilot executed a normal landing. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear impacted a culvert. The airplane veered to the right and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Factual narrative

According to the pilot of the experimental amateur-built airplane, he entered the traffic pattern with the intention to land on the southern part of the private turf runway, to avoid the construction on the new paved runway. According to a witness, the pilot executed a normal landing. During the landing rollout, the right main landing gear impacted a culvert. The airplane veered to the right and came to rest inverted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N407HK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N407HK-2013-06-11), registration cancelled 2013-06-11, S/N 407 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: KARIBIAN HURANT THORP T-18
- Registry model: [Karibian Hurant THORP T-18](https://openairdocs.org/model/karibian-hurant-thorp-t-18) (registry code 89510R8) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 407
- Airframe hours: 411
- Engines: LYCOMING O-320 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Karibian Hurant
- Registered owner: Karibian Hurant
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Annual, June 20, 2011
- Departed: F95, Blountstown, FL
- Destination: 75FL, Panama City, FL
- Airport: 75FL, Sandy Creek Airpark, runway 27, 3,850 × 150 ft, grass/turf

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 86; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 1, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 617 total, 411 in this make and model, 543 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 2 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observed at: PAM, 5 nm away

## 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 20110910021209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110910021209A), Sep 10, 2011: Karibian Hurant THORP T-18, Panama City, FL, Substantial damage. On September 10, 2011 at approximately 1340 CDT, N407HK, a thorp T-18, piloted by [privacy data omitted], sustained substantial damage as it was landing at…

## Docket (7 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 30, 2011, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81776. 3.6 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 484 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355110&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF
- FAA Inspector Statement (item 2, .PDF, 113 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355169&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Witness Statement (item 3, .PDF, 145 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355113&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- PAM Weather Observations (item 4, .PDF, 9 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355111&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=PAM%20Weather%20Observations-Master.PDF
- Diagram of Accident Location (item 5, .PDF, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355114&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Diagram%20of%20Accident%20Location-Master.PDF
- Photo 1: Front View of Wreckage (Courtesy of FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355170&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20Front%20View%20of%20Wreckage%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF
- Photo 2: View of Private Airpark Landing Area (item 7, .PDF, 1.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40355172&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20View%20of%20Private%20Airpark%20Landing%20Area-Master.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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