Amateur-built T-18 accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi, September 11, 2004
On September 11, 2004 at about 3:25 pm local time, a amateur-built T-18, registered N49RT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olive Branch, Mississippi (Olive Branch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2004 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Olive Branch, Mississippi · Olive Branch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built T-18
- Registration
- N49RT · registry record · serial 301
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that on the accident landing, he landed the airplane on the runway centerline and the airplane suddenly veered to the left of the runway centerline, and then veered right "uncontrollably" and departed the runway surface, traveled down an embankment, the right wing collided with a tree, and the airplane came to rest in a ditch. Examination of the wreckage site revealed tire skid marks that began 1600 feet from the threshold of runway 36 and extended to the left side of the runway. At 2000 feet from the threshold, the tire marks departed the left side of the runway surface into the grass for approximately 20 feet before turning back toward the runway surface. Tire skid marks were observed from the grass, heading right (east) across the runway surface, and then departed the right side of runway 36 at 2200 feet from the threshold. The airplane came to rest in a ditch on a southerly heading abeam 2500 feet from the runway 36 threshold. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the right wing spar was bent, the left main gear was twisted aft, and the empennage was crushed. Both of the propeller blades were bent aft.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,390 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 21, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,756 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 2004; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,640 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O 320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOLV Olive Branch MS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:20 pm from kolv
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.