Thunderbird Air Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lake Como, Florida 32157
Sunday, July 19, 2009 12:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the pilot, as the airplane was landing the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind. He elected not to perform a go-around due to power lines and trees located at the end of the runway. The airplane departed the end of the runway and struck fence posts with both wings. The pilot stated that an earlier decision to go around would have prevented this accident. He further reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane. A review of recorded surface observations at airports within an approximate 50-mile radius of the airport revealed that the wind direction was variable from the west to the southeast. Some airports recorded thunderstorm and rain showers in their respective vicinity, indicating frontal passage in the area of the accident airport around the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's delayed decision to execute a go-around while landing with variable wind, which resulted in a runway overrun.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Lake Como
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32157
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 292824N
Event Location Longitude 0813415W
Event Location Airport Thunderbird Air Park
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2FA5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 67
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1145 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 113
Weather Observation Facility ID OMN
Elevation of weather observation facility 29
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 20
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.08
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27825
NTSB Notification Source FAA/FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 20 2010 2:11PM
User who most recently changed record lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N33TB
NTSB Number ERA11LA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BROWN THOMAS E
Aircraft Model THORP T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 915
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jul 7 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 640
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JANESKY ROGER L
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City HASTINGS
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32145-5537
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name JANESKY ROGER L
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City HASTINGS
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32145-5537
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 13FA
Departure City Hastings
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 2FA5
Destination City Lake Como
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 15 2010 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record gots
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 2870
Runway Width 80
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --