Amateur-built THORP T-18 accident near Lancaster, California, May 17, 1984
On May 17, 1984 at about 4:45 pm local time, a amateur-built THORP T-18, registered N11HG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lancaster, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1984 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built THORP T-18
- Registration
- N11HG · registry record · serial 437
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LOST POWER AND NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING ON DESERT TERRAIN. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE SHOWED THAT THE AUTOMOTIVE TYPE FILTER HAD DISINTEGRATED AND HAD BEEN INGESTED IN THE CARBURETOR. THE FILTER WAS 4 YEARS OLD. AFTER THE FILTER WAS REMOVED THE ENGINE RAN SUCCESSFULLY.
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: 425 hours in all; 406 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 391 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 664 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 18, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WJF Lancaster CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 240° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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 LAX84LA296.