Amateur-built Thorp T18 accident near Newburgh, New York, November 16, 2009
On November 16, 2009 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Thorp T18, registered N335BW, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Newburgh, New York (Stewart International 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2009 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Newburgh, New York · Stewart International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Thorp T18
- Registration
- N335BW · registry record · serial 720
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was conducting his second stop-and-go landing when the airplane touched down with a "very slight bounce." After the airplane settled back onto the runway, it began "pulling" to the left. The pilot stated that he applied right rudder, but the airplane's response was "slow," and the airplane departed the runway into the "wet and muddy" grass. As the airplane decelerated, it nosed over and came to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures; nor were any discovered when a Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane following the accident. The weather reporting facility at the accident airport reported winds from 020 degrees at 6 knots about 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 175 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 1,150 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 18, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 450 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 24, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CZG Tri Cities NY at 8:30 pm
- Destination: SWF Newburgh NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 11,817 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from SWF
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.
Other NTSB records under N335BW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.