Wallace THORP T-18 N215CK

Summary

On 27 March 1994 at about 12:15 local time, a Wallace THORP T-18 registered N215CK was involved in an accident near Boynton Beach, Florida, 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.

Date

27 March 1994 at 12:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Boynton Beach, Florida, United States

Coordinates

26.5093, -80.1497

Aircraft

Wallace THORP T-18

Registration

N215CK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lantana → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA94LA105

1 person died.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S EXCEEDING THE DESIGNED STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT RESULTING IN OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE LEFT WING OUTBOARD ATTACH FITTING. THIS RESULTED IN INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE OUTBOARD LEFT WING, AND SUBSEQUENT INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN DURING AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

WITNESSES HEARD THE SOUND OF THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE INCREASE AND DECREASE SEVERAL TIMES. THEY THEN HEARD A 'LOUD POP' OR 'EXPLOSION' AND OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDING IN A SPIN WITH PART OF A WING MISSING. THE OUTBOARD LEFT WING WAS FOUND 1/4 MILE FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE ALONG WITH THE LEFT AILERON AND DEBRIS FROM THE CANOPY AND CABIN OF THE AIRCRAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT WING INDICATED THE OUTBOARD WING SECTION SEPARATED IN A DOWNWARD DIRECTION DUE TO OVERSTRESS AT THE POINT IT ATTACHES TO THE INBOARD SECTION. ALL OTHER SEPARATIONS OF STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS AND FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES HAD SEPARATION FEATURES TYPICAL OF OVERSTRESS. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.