Cox Thorpe T-18 N64EC

Summary

On 23 January 2004 at about 17:53 local time, a Cox Thorpe T-18 registered N64EC was involved in an accident near Compton, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 January 2004 at 17:53

Classification

Accident

Location

Compton, California, United States

Nearest airport

Compton/Woodley Airport (CPM)

Coordinates

33.8900, -118.2506

Aircraft

Cox Thorpe T-18

Registration

N64EC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Compton → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA106

1 person died.

both pilots' failure to see and avoid one another that resulted in the airplane's encounter with downwash induced wake vortices from the helicopter, and the airplane pilot's subsequent loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After encountering downwash induced wake vortices from a helicopter, the airplane rolled over and impacted terrain while on short final approach. The pilot of the airplane was performing practice touch-and-go takeoffs and landings at the airport and made a radio transmission stating his intentions. A police helicopter pilot was on a 2-mile straight in approach for the same runway, and made a radio transmission stating his intentions. While on final approach for the runway, with the airplane pilot beginning a flare about 8 feet above ground level, the police helicopter's pilot was attempting a practice autorotation and descended in front of the airplane. At the last moment, the airplane's pilot saw the helicopter and made an abrupt turn to the right in an attempt to execute a go-around. The airplane rolled over inverted and impacted terrain. The helicopter pilot stated he never saw the airplane or heard the pilot's radio transmissions. Federal Aviation Regulations state that "when two or more aircraft are approaching an airport for the purpose of landing, the aircraft at the lower altitude has the right of way, but it shall not take advantage of this rule to cut in front of another which is on final approach to land, or to overtake that aircraft." (14 CFR 91.113)

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.