Amateur-built Thorp T-18 accident near Longmont, Colorado, October 26, 2001
On October 26, 2001 at about 6:25 pm local time, a amateur-built Thorp T-18, registered N2819L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Longmont, Colorado. It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, which resulted in a forced landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2001 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Thorp T-18
- Registration
- N2819L · registry record · serial 1116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a test flight to do a further "run-in" on the engine, which had 3.0 hours since major overhaul. He stated that the engine ran smoothly and that all pressures and temperatures were normal prior to a point on the return flight where at approximately 5 miles northeast of the airport, the engine temporarily faltered. At that point, the pilot was able to reestablish power by manipulating the mixture control lever. He was concerned about his position over a densely populated area and modified his approach by circling south of the airport. At approximately 4 miles south of the airport, the engine began to run rough and quit, "similar to a fuel starvation failure." The pilot was unable to regain engine power and he landed the airplane in a field. During the landing roll, he applied the brakes, and the airplane tipped nose down. Fuel samples taken prior to the flight and after the recovery of the airplane revealed no evidence of fuel contamination.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,414 hours in all; 43 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 9,390 as pilot in command; 5,567 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 3, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 8, 2001; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2V2 Longmont CO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 2V2 Longmont CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.51 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from KBJC, 14 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.