- Date
- March 19, 1986, 17:25 local (22:25 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeland, FL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N83GDDurkota Thorp T-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860319006999A
- Case key
- 31490
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses observed black smoke trailing from the homebuilt acft during takeoff & initial climb. The acft was observed to climb to an estimated alt of 150 to 200 ft where eng sound ceased & the prop stopped. The acft was then observed to attempt a left turn back toward the rwy. During the turn, the nose came up & witnesses stated that the acft stalled about one-half way through the turn & crashed to the ground. An exam of the cockpit revealed that the hand actuated fuel primer was in the unlocked & out position. A review of the acft's checklists failed to reveal any reference to ensuring that the primer is in & locked after engine start.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N83GD
- Reported as
- Durkota Thorp T-18
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 832
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joseph E. Joiner
- Registered owner
- Vernon R. Parker And
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Destination
- HWO · Hollywood, FL
- Airport
- LAL · Lakeland
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,700 total · 11 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TPA, 28 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.