DEN86FA213

Factual narrative

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.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12