- Date
- July 21, 1982, 17:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Connellsville, PA
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N62RBThorp T-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 21, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820721030889A
- Case key
- 70326
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
While the student was taking off, the engine began to vibrate violently at an altitude of about 300 to 400 ft AGL. The flight instructor (CFI) took control and initiated a turn back to the airport. He stated that due to the vibration, he had to reduce the power, and with the power reduction, it was impossible to maintain sufficient altitude to reach the airport. While making a forced landing, downhill on soft terrain, the aircraft was destroyed. An investigation revealed that the metal leading edge portion of the propeller tip had separated. The aircraft was equipped with a wooden sensenich 66LN74 propeller.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N62RB
- Reported as
- Thorp T-18
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 731
- Airframe hours
- 246
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Duane Simm
- Registered owner
- Duane Simm
- Departed
- Connellsville, PA
- Destination
- Connellsville, PA
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 34
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 1,696 total · 19 in this make and model · 1,576 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 176 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.