December 1, 2012, Pahokee, Fla. - Thorp T-18 Experimental

The experimental, amateur-built airplane was substantially damaged when it broke up in flight at about 1318 Eastern time. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to FAA radar data, the airplane was in cruise flight for approximately 19 minutes before contact was lost. About one minute before going off radar, the airplane was cruising at 8300 feet msl. Then, the airplane was observed descending to 7200 feet before radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted a sugarcane field, with its fuselage coming to rest inverted on a heading of 315 degrees.

Editorial Staff

Friday, January 18, 2013 at 12:00 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

An experimental, amateur-built airplane experienced an in-flight breakup, resulting in substantial damage and the fatal injury of the airline transport pilot.
The aircraft was in cruise flight for approximately 19 minutes, observed descending from 8300 feet to 7200 feet before radar contact was lost.
The wreckage impacted a sugarcane field, with critical components such as the propeller, engine, instrument panel, and outboard wings separating from the fuselage and not being located.

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The experimental, amateur-built airplane was substantially damaged when it broke up in flight at about 1318 Eastern time. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

According to FAA radar data, the airplane was in cruise flight for approximately 19 minutes before contact was lost. About one minute before going off radar, the airplane was cruising at 8300 feet msl. Then, the airplane was observed descending to 7200 feet before radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted a sugarcane field, with its fuselage coming to rest inverted on a heading of 315 degrees. The propeller, engine, instrument panel, main landing gear, and left and right outboard wings were separated from the fuselage and have not been located.