Hammer THORP T-18 N3715

Summary

On 26 June 2007 at about 21:40 local time, a Hammer THORP T-18 registered N3715, operated by Robert Hammer, was involved in an accident near Everett, Washington, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 June 2007 at 21:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Everett, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Snohomish County Airport (PAE)

Coordinates

47.9103, -122.2894

Aircraft

Hammer THORP T-18

Registration

N3715

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert Hammer

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Everett → Everett

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07CA185

1 person had minor injuries.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.