Amateur-built THORP T-18 accident near Del Norte, Colorado, September 25, 2022
On September 25, 2022 at about 8:11 pm local time, a 1993 amateur-built THORP T-18, registered N18NH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Del Norte, Colorado (Astronaut Kent Rominger airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of airplane control during landing due to a wind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2022 · about 8:11 pm local time
- Place
- Del Norte, Colorado · Astronaut Kent Rominger · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built THORP T-18, built 1993
- Registration
- N18NH · registry record · serial 1313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the wind at the airport was from “082° at 7 knots” based on the automated observation. He entered a right traffic pattern and saw “no change” on the windsock before landing. After landing, the passenger commented that the windsock had changed. About that time, “the right wing came back up” and the airplane “swerved” to the right. The pilot initially added full engine power to go-around; however, he was unable to regain directional control and reduced engine power to idle. The airplane departed the runway and subsequently nosed over. The pilot reported that there were no anomalies which would have precluded normal operation. The vertical stabilizer and rudder sustained substantial damage during the accident.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,200 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 2,700 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 14, 2021
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 622.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, September 1, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 622 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEZ Sedona AZ at 6:45 pm
- Destination: RCV Del Norte CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 6, 6,051 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.43 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from KRCV
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRCV 252015Z AUTO 12006KT 10SM CLR 21/02 A3043
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 CEN22LA432.