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| Date: | Sunday 6 July 2025 |
| Time: | 10:56 LT |
| Type: |  Thorp T-18 Tiger |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | N18CH |
| MSN: | CH374 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1974 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 1400 hours |
| Engine model: | Lycoming O-360-A1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Lake Elmo Airport (21D), Lake Elmo, MN -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Onamia, MN (MY66) |
| Lake Elmo, MN (21D) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
After the completion of the local area flight, the pilot maneuvered the airplane for the approach to the runway. The airplane was not oriented with the runway during approach, so the pilot applied full engine power to perform a go-around. During the go-around, the tailwheel impacted a taxiway sign, and the tailwheel sustained damage. The pilot completed the go-around and landed on the runway. During the landing, there was no tailwheel control due to the previous impact damage from the taxiway sign, and the airplane departed the runway to the right. The airplane came to rest upright on a grass field near the runway. The pilot was able to egress from the airplane without further incident.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder and the underside of the empennage. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain obstacle clearance during the go-around, that resulted in the tailwheel impacting a taxiway sign, a subsequent loss of control due to the damaged tailwheel, and a runway excursion during the landing.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB CEN25LA246
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N18CH
https://www.flightaware.com/live/flight/N18CH/history/20250706/1524Z/MY66/21D
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 16-Jul-2025 04:50 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 16-Jul-2025 06:22 | ASN | Updated |
| 05-Aug-2025 07:22 | Captain Adam | Updated [Accident report, ] |
| 01-Oct-2025 09:26 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
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