Amateur-built Thorp T-18 accident near El Mirage, California, October 19, 2001
On October 19, 2001 at about 10:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Thorp T-18, registered N42KB, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Mirage, California (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the corrosion and fatigue failure of the tail wheel fork.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 2001 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- El Mirage, California · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Thorp T-18
- Registration
- N42KB · no longer on the register · serial 1439
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur-built airplane's tail wheel separated on landing resulting in a loss of directional control, collision with a post, and nosing over. After touchdown on the private dirt strip, the tail wheel went over a bump, "wobbled," and separated. The airplane departed to the left of the runway, struck the post with its left wing, and nosed over, coming to rest inverted. Post accident examination of the tail wheel fracture point revealed corrosion that resulted in fatigue cracking over approximately 30 percent of the fracture surface.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AJO Corona CA at 10:00 pm
- Destination: El Mirage CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PMD, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.