Mantooth THORP T-18 N78DW

Summary

On 28 August 2021 at about 20:37 local time, a Mantooth THORP T-18 registered N78DW was involved in an accident near San Antonio, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 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

28 August 2021 at 20:37

Classification

Accident

Location

San Antonio, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Boerne Stage Airport (5C1)

Coordinates

29.6436, -98.6144

Aircraft

Mantooth THORP T-18

Registration

N78DW

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Fredricksburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN21LA390

2 people had minor injuries.

The loss of engine power after takeoff for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was planning a short cross-country flight with his passenger. Prior to takeoff, he fueled the airplane with 10-15 gallons of fuel and added one quart of oil to the engine. He performed an engine run-up that included checking the carburetor heat. The takeoff and initial climb were normal, but as he turned the airplane onto the downwind leg to depart the traffic pattern, the engine began running rough and lost total power. The pilot attempted to regain engine power by adjusting the engine mixture, but no change in engine performance was noted. Unable to maintain altitude, he performed a forced landing into trees. The airplane came to rest on its nose and sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Weather conditions reported at the time of the accident were conducive for serious carburetor icing at glide power. However, the pilot applied the carburetor heat during the engine run-up before takeoff, which should have either melted any ice that may have accumulated on the ground or resulted in a rough running engine, which the pilot did not report. The application of carburetor heat during the run-up combined with the high-power setting during takeoff and initial climb reduced the likelihood of carburetor ice.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.