Wagoner Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wagoner, Oklahoma 74467
Saturday, September 13, 1997 13:40 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After about 40 minutes of local flight, the airplane entered into a left downwind for runway 17. Reported winds were from 130 at 10 knots. Several witnesses observed the airplane in a left traffic pattern on the base leg for runway 17. One of the witnesses, who was a pilot, stated that he observed the airplane 'overshoot' the runway on base leg, saw the left wing go 'down', and then saw the airplane 'stall.' The other witness observed the airplane make a 'very steep' left turn toward the runway, heard the engine 'power up' during the turn, and then saw the airplane's left wing 'drop dramatically.' Subsequently, the airplane descended uncontrolled into a lake, located southeast of the approach end of runway 17. A stall strip was not found installed on the aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/13/1997
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1340
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City WAGONER
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74467
Event Date Year 1997
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport WAGONER
Event Location Nearest Airport ID H68
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 150
Airport Elevation 588
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 240
Weather Observation Facility ID KMK
Elevation of weather observation facility 610
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 18
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1276
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 13 1997 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1710
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 12:33PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N16LE
NTSB Number FTW97LA346
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Reilly
Aircraft Model THORP T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier THORP T-18
Aircraft Serial Number 1083
Certified Max Gross Weight 1560
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LELAND F. REILLY
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 3 BOX 198A
Aircraft Owner City WAGONER
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74467
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code N/A
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code H68
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code H68
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --