Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
Saturday, July 21, 1984 17:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT WAS ON A X-COUNTRY TO SALT LAKE CITY. APPROACHING SALT LAKE HE SAW THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. AT THIS POINT HE SAID HE HAD 1/4 OF A TANK OF GAS SO HE DIVERTED TO OGDEN THEN TRIED FOR MORGAN WHERE HE WAS WAVED OFF BY 3 PEOPLE ON THERWY. PLT THEN DIVERTED TO HEBER CITY BUT BECAUSE OF A STORM HE DECIDED TO LAND ON A ROAD. HE CIRCLED IN THE EAST CANYON LAKE AREA UNTIL ALMOST OUT OF FUEL AND TRIED TO LAND ON A BOAT RAMP. THE LANDING WAS MADE IN A 30 KT TAILWIND DURING WHICH THE ACFT BOUNCED, SKIDDED AROUND A CAMPER PARKED NEAR THE RAMP, AND NOSED OVER. THE ACFT ENGINE QUIT DURING THE LANDING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/21/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SALT LAKE CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84116
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 2
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 24
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1223
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25088
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N18GY
NTSB Number DEN84FTM02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AMATEUR BUILT
Aircraft Model THORP T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier THORP T-18
Aircraft Serial Number 775
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 1 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 556
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES S. FITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7622 NEWLIN AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City WHITTIER
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 653
Operator City RUNNING SPRINGS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92382
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 HLN
Departure City HELENA
Departure State MT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SLC
Destination City SALT LAKE CITY
Destination State UT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2002 10:48AM
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 --