Cochise County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Willcox, Arizona 85643
Thursday, August 26, 2010 9:20 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane was observed in the traffic pattern, about 500 feet above ground level, when it made a steep left turn to enter the downwind leg. The turn continued as the airplane entered a left descending spiral until it impacted the ground in a nose-low attitude. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. The Pilot Operating Handbook for the airplane indicated that the airplane has an abrupt stall with a tendency to drop a wing, especially if the airplane is in an uncoordinated turn during the stall. There is very little warning preceding the stall. Stall recovery can be quickly affected by releasing back pressure on the stick; however, a secondary stall may occur if the stick is brought back abruptly after recovery without sufficient airspeed. It is likely that during the initial steep turn, the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall from which the pilot was unable to recover at the low altitude.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed during a steep turn and at a low altitude in the traffic pattern, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/26/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 920
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Willcox
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85643
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 321444N
Event Location Longitude 1095341W
Event Location Airport Cochise County
Event Location Nearest Airport ID P33
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4187
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 45
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
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) 30734
NTSB Notification Source Western Pacific FAA Duty Offic
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 9 2012 6:41PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N467JF
NTSB Number WPR10LA429
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 FINNEY THORP
Aircraft Model T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 467
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats 2
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 No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name SALE REPORTED
Aircraft Owner Street Address UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 73125
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Glen Slagoske
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City San Diego
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 92116
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 MYF
Departure City San Diego
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code P33
Destination City Willcox
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Nov 9 2012 6:33PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 03
Runway Length 6095
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --