Thorp T-18 accident near Simi, California, March 5, 1983
On March 5, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Thorp T-18, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N3124, was destroyed in an accident near Simi, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- March 5, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Simi, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Thorp T-18, amateur-built · all T-18s on the register
- Registration
- N3124 · no longer on the register · serial MC-68
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED IN A SCHOOL PLAYGROUND IN A STEEP UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. WITNESSES SAID THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED IN A 60 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AT ABOUT 1000 FT AGL AND THIS CONTINUED UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING HIGH POWER AT THIS TIME. NO WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT BEFORE THE DIVE. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE COCKPIT CONTROL STICK HAD FAILED AND THE AILERON AND STABILATOR CROSS-BAR RIGHT MOUNTING POST TUBE WELDED AREA FAILED PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. A PRE-EXISTING CRACK HAD EXISTED FOR SOME TIME ON THE CROSS-BAR TUBE WHEN THIS TUBE FAILED THE FLT CONTROLS JAMMED WHICH PREVENTED THE PLT FROM CONTROLLING THE ACFT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 195 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 118 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 506 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1982; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY Van Nuys CA at 7:52 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from VYN, 13 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.