Rawlins Mun Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rawlins, Wyoming 82301
Thursday, July 31, 1986 12:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACCIDENT ACFT, A THORP T-18, WAS ONE OF FOUR ACFT (QUICKIE II, VARIEZE, LONGEZE) IN A LOOSE FORMATION THAT WAS EN ROUTE TO THE ANNUAL EAA CONVENTION AT OSHKOSH, WI. THE ACFT DEPARTED REDDING, CA, AT 0500 PDT, REFUELED AT WENDOVER, UT, AND DEPARTED THERE AT 1100 MDT. AT ABOUT 1230 MDT, WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT 9500 FT MSL OVER I-80, ABOUT 5 MI WEST OF RAWLINS, WY, THE SPINNER ON THE QUICKIE II CAME LOOSE AND BROKE OFF A PROP BLADE. THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND MADE A SUCCESSFUL DOWNWIND DEAD-STICK LANDING AT ROWLINS ARPT. THE OTHER ACFT CIRCLED OVERHEAD. THE THORP WAS LAST SEEN PULLING UP AND BANKING RIGHT. NONE OF THE PILOTS SAW THE THORP T-18 CRASH. TWO GROUND WITNESSES SAID THAT THE ACFT WAS EITHER 'WIG-WAGGING ITS WINGS' OR DOING AEROBATICS. THE PLT WAS SAID TO BE 'A RELATIVELY LOW TIME PLT' WITH ABOUT 40 HRS IN MAKE/MODEL. ADDITIONALLY, IT WAS SAID THAT THIS FLT WAS THE PLT'S 'FIRST REALLY LONG X-COUNTRY.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City RAWLINS
Event State WYOMING
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 82301
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RAWLINS MUN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RWL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 259
Airport Elevation 6820
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1249 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 79
Weather Observation Facility ID RWL
Elevation of weather observation facility 6820
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 60
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 280
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8793
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2003
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32707
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N85JJ
NTSB Number DEN86FA213
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name THORP
Aircraft Model T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier T-18
Aircraft Serial Number 840
Certified Max Gross Weight 1563
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 Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES L. FLEURY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5150 PINE ST.
Aircraft Owner City ANDERSON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 96007
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
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 No
Departure Airport Code ENV
Departure City WENDOVER
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CYS
Destination City CHEYENNE
Destination State WY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 --