- Date
- June 26, 2007, 14:40 local (21:40 UTC)
- Place
- Everett, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3715Hammer Thorp T-18
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070626009959A
- Case key
- 66084
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Excessive airspeed during a return for landing which resulted in an overrun. An unlatched canopy, a proper touchdown point not attained and rough terrain were factors.
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
The pilot reported that the takeoff on runway 34L seemed normal until he raised the flaps. The pilot then heard a "big bang [that] shook the entire airplane" and he noticed that the canopy had come unlatched. Concerned that the canopy could possibly depart the aircraft and damage the tail, the pilot declared an emergency and circled left to land on runway 11. The pilot aligned the aircraft with the runway, but the airplane's airspeed was excessive for a normal touchdown point. When the pilot realized that he was "too fast", he pulled the throttle to idle and pulled the mixture out to stop the engine. The aircraft did not touchdown until it reached the numbers at the departure end of the runway. During the landing roll, the aircraft rolled across taxiway Golf, runway 16L-34R, and taxiway Foxtrot. The aircraft continued to roll off the taxiway surface, through the airport perimeter fence and onto a public street, where it encountered uneven terrain and nosed over, coming to rest upside down.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that the takeoff on runway 34L seemed normal until he raised the flaps. The pilot then heard a "big bang [that] shook the entire airplane" and he noticed that the canopy had come unlatched. Concerned that the canopy could possibly depart the aircraft and damage the tail, the pilot declared an emergency and circled left to land on runway 11. The pilot aligned the aircraft with the runway, but the airplane's airspeed was excessive for a normal touchdown point. When the pilot realized that he was "too fast", he pulled the throttle to idle and pulled the mixture out to stop the engine. The aircraft did not touchdown until it reached the numbers at the departure end of the runway. During the landing roll, the aircraft rolled across taxiway Golf, runway 16L-34R, and taxiway Foxtrot. The aircraft continued to roll off the taxiway surface, through the airport perimeter fence and onto a public street, where it encountered uneven terrain and nosed over, coming to rest upside down.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3715
- Reported as
- Hammer Thorp T-18
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 66
- Airframe hours
- 251
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Robert Hammer
- Registered owner
- Robert Hammer
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 1, 2007
- Departed
- PAE · Everett, WA
- Destination
- PAE · Everett, WA
- Airport
- PAE · Snohomish County Airport, runway 11, 4,500 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 1, 2006
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,567 total · 251 in this make and model · 1,567 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3715 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.