Amateur-built Thorp T18 accident near Edinburg, Ohio, January 9, 2007
On January 9, 2007 at about 4:08 pm local time, a amateur-built Thorp T18, registered N54DT, was destroyed in an accident near Edinburg, Ohio (Portage County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision not to refuel prior to fuel exhaustion. A factor to the accident was the tree line that the airplane impacted during the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2007 · about 4:08 pm local time
- Place
- Edinburg, Ohio · Portage County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Thorp T18
- Registration
- N54DT · registry record · serial 2
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing following a loss of engine power during approach. The pilot stated that the airplane lost engine power due to "a depletion of fuel." The pilot attempted to land in a plowed field but reported not having sufficient altitude to clear trees at the field's edge. The pilot stated that he "stalled the airplane into the top of the trees." The pilot reported the airplane then fell approximately forty feet to the ground in a nose down attitude. Inspection of airplane revealed that the fuel system did not contain any remaining usable fuel. The fuel system was intact and no fuel smell was noted at the accident site. The pilot reported that the accident flight was three hours and eight minutes in duration. The pilot stated that the airplane had 29 gallons of fuel on board at departure. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of 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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, 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: 3,354 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,202 as pilot in command; 596 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SOP Southern Pines NC at 1:06 pm
- Destination: 29G Ravenna OH
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from CAK, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.