Amateur-built THORP TS-18CW accident near Reklaw, Texas, October 25, 2014
On October 25, 2014 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 2010 amateur-built THORP TS-18CW, registered N18DD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Reklaw, Texas (Flying M Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate monitoring of the airplane's approach path which resulted in long landing and a subsequent runway excursion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's delayed decision to apply the brakes, inflight traffic, and nearby pedestrians.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 2014 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Reklaw, Texas · Flying M Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built THORP TS-18CW, built 2010
- Registration
- N18DD · registry record · serial 003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While attempting to land at a 4,000 foot long turf, private strip for a local fly-in, the accident pilot radioed his intention to land the runway. The pilot of airplane behind that accident pilot radioed his intention to perform a fly-by of the runway. The accident pilot landed long on the runway and decided to abort the landing. The trailing airplane was now overhead the accident pilot, so he delayed his takeoff. More airplane were flying overhead so the pilot decided to continue with the rollout. He assessed that the ground loop might injure nearby pedestrians, so he applied brakes, but the airplane did not stop before exiting the end of the strip into a stock tank. Substantial damage was sustained to the right wing. On the submitted report, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if an air boss had been present to deconflict traffic.
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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Capability exceeded
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Effect on operation
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Person › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 485 hours in all; 212 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 364 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 7, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 153.5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 19, 2013; 61.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,834 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 3,252 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WEA Weatherford TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: 7TA7 Reklaw TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KJSO, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN15CA029.