Amateur-built THORP T-18 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, July 22, 1984
On July 22, 1984, a amateur-built THORP T-18, registered N18GY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1984
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built THORP T-18
- Registration
- N18GY · registry record · serial 775
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON A X-COUNTRY TO SALT LAKE CITY. APPROACHING SALT LAKE HE SAW THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. AT THIS POINT HE SAID HE HAD 1/4 OF A TANK OF GAS SO HE DIVERTED TO OGDEN THEN TRIED FOR MORGAN WHERE HE WAS WAVED OFF BY 3 PEOPLE ON THERWY. PLT THEN DIVERTED TO HEBER CITY BUT BECAUSE OF A STORM HE DECIDED TO LAND ON A ROAD. HE CIRCLED IN THE EAST CANYON LAKE AREA UNTIL ALMOST OUT OF FUEL AND TRIED TO LAND ON A BOAT RAMP. THE LANDING WAS MADE IN A 30 KT TAILWIND DURING WHICH THE ACFT BOUNCED, SKIDDED AROUND A CAMPER PARKED NEAR THE RAMP, AND NOSED OVER. THE ACFT ENGINE QUIT DURING THE LANDING.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 505 hours in all; 355 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 440 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 556 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1984; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-GPU (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HLN Helena MT at 9:00 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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 DEN84FTM02.