Accident Details
On July 19, 2009, at approximately 1200 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Brown Thorp T-18, registration N33TB, was substantially damaged when it impacted fence posts after landing at Thunderbird Air Park (2FA5) in Lake Como, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed. The local personal flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certificated commercial pilot was not injured; the passenger suffered minor injuries.
Pilot and Aircraft Information
The 65-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate and a flight instructor certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane. His most recent FAA second-class medical certificate was issued on October 1, 2008. He reported 5,025 total flight hours, including 300 hours in the accident aircraft make and model. According to FAA records, the airplane was constructed from a kit in 1981 and issued a special airworthiness certificate on June 17, 1988. The pilot/owner had registered the aircraft on May 2, 2001. The aircraft was equipped with a Lycoming O-360-A4K engine and had accrued 640 flight hours at the time of the accident.
Sequence of Events
In an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, the passenger reported that the pilot attempted to land "at a high rate of speed." The airplane departed the end of the runway and struck fence posts with both wings. Photographs provided by the passenger to the FAA showed buckling and twisting of both wings.
The pilot told an FAA inspector that winds were variable at the time of the accident. He observed the airport's windsock and attempted to land with a headwind. During landing, the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind, and the airplane departed the end of the runway. In a written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the pilot stated that a go-around would not have been possible "due to the rising terrain and power lines at the departure end." He added, "An earlier decision to go around would have prevented this accident." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunction or failure.
Weather and Airport Information
The recorded weather at 1145 at Ormond Beach Municipal Airport (OMN), approximately 26 miles southeast, included winds from 110 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 8 miles, few clouds at 2,000 feet, temperature 29°C, dew point 20°C, and altimeter 30.08 inHg. A review of airports within 50 miles showed variable wind direction from west to southeast. Airports south and southeast of the accident airport reported thunderstorm activity in their vicinity around the time of the accident.
Thunderbird Air Park is a private-use airport with a single turf runway, designated 4/22, measuring 2,870 feet by 80 feet. Trees stand 100 feet from both ends of the runway.
The NTSB was notified of the accident on October 21, 2010.