Brown Thomas E THORP T-18 N33TB

Summary

On 19 July 2009 at about 16:00 local time, a Brown Thomas E THORP T-18 registered N33TB was involved in an accident near Lake Como, Florida, United States. 2 people were 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

19 July 2009 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Como, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Thunderbird Air Park (2FA5)

Coordinates

29.4733, -81.5708

Aircraft

Brown Thomas E THORP T-18

Registration

N33TB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hastings → Lake Como

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA11LA028

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's delayed decision to execute a go-around while landing with variable wind, which resulted in a runway overrun.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, as the airplane was landing the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind. He elected not to perform a go-around due to power lines and trees located at the end of the runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway and struck fence posts with both wings. The pilot stated that an earlier decision to go around would have prevented this accident. He further reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. A review of recorded surface observations at airports within an approximate 50-mile radius of the airport revealed that the wind direction was variable from the west to the southeast. Some airports recorded thunderstorm and rain showers in their respective vicinity, indicating frontal passage in the area of the accident airport around the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.