Plane Crash List

Lanier THORP T-18 N18FL

24 November 1989 · Colorado City, Colorado, United States · Fatal

Summary

On 24 November 1989 at about 14:54 local time, a Lanier THORP T-18 registered N18FL was involved in an accident near Colorado City, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 14:54
Classification
Accident
Location
Colorado City, Colorado, United States
Nearest airport
Greenhorn Valley (CO22)
Coordinates
37.9404, -104.8410
Aircraft
Lanier THORP T-18
Registration
N18FL
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Destroyed
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
DEN90DTE01

People

1 person died.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 1 0 0 0

Probable cause

LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WITH CARBON FOULING OF THE SPARK PLUGS, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A WITNESS SAW THE PLT PREFLIGHT THE ACFT. AFTER HE TOOK OFF, THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT & CRASHED A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE END OF THE RWY. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT ALL SPARK PLUGS WERE CARBON FOULED. THE HOME BUILT ACFT HAD A TOTAL OF 40 HRS FLT TIME. THE ENG HAD A TOTAL TIME OF 42 HRS TSMO. THE OWNER/PLT HAD CHANGED THE CARBURETOR & SPARK PLUGS AFTER THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 6 HRS & THE ACFT HAD FLOWN 13 HRS SINCE THE LAST INSPN. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE WAS FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
4 Jan 1989 Cessna 172
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6 Jan 1989 Piper PA-31T
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18 Jan 1989 Beechcraft V35B
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Broomfield, Colorado, United States - Minor injuries -
28 Jan 1989 Cessna P210N
N4737P
Durango, Colorado, United States - No injuries -
8 Feb 1989 Piper PA-18-150
N4355Z
Boulder, Colorado, United States Boulder Flying Service No injuries -
9 Feb 1989 Cessna 152
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Gill, Colorado, United States - No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States