What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The certificated airline transport pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 17 in a tailwheel airplane. He stated that at the time of the accident, he inadvertently failed to meet the pilot-in-command requirements for a tailwheel airplane. The pilot rated passenger, seated in the right seat, was not a certificated flight instructor. The pilot stated that wind conditions at the ime of the accident were varied, and were last reported to be from 090 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot stated that just after touchdown, the airplane veered to the right. He said that he applied left rudder in an attempt to maintain heading, but the airplane continued to the right. He stated that upon reaching the edge of the runway, he applied the brakes, and the left wheel lost traction in loose gravel.. He said that the right wheel maintained traction, and the airplane ground looped to the right. During the ground loop, the left wing, aileron, and left elevator struck the runway and sustained substantial damage. At 1153, an aviation routine weather report (METAR) was reporting in part: wind, 159 degrees (magnetic) at 7 knots. (-23) at approximately 1130 adt on July 1, 1998 a wheel equipped Cessna 185 airplane N4574F lost directional control and ground looped upon landing at Iliamna, Alaska. The pilot in command was robert a. mealing, employed by Iliamna lodge who was the owner of the aircraft. There was one passenger onboard, no injuries sustained. Wind was 090 at 9 KTS. VFR conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot was not tailwheel current at the time. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 17 IN A TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE. HE STATED THAT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, HE INADVERTENTLY FAILED TO MEET THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND REQUIREMENTS FOR A TAILWHEEL AIRPLANE. THE PILOT RATED PASSENGER, SEATED IN THE RIGHT SEAT, WAS NOT A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. THE PILOT STATED THAT WIND CONDITIONS AT THE IME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE VARIED, AND WERE LAST REPORTED TO BE FROM 090 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRPLANE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. HE SAID THAT HE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAINTAIN HEADING, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO THE RIGHT. HE STATED THAT UPON REACHING THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY, HE APPLIED THE BRAKES, AND THE LEFT WHEEL LOST TRACTION IN LOOSE GRAVEL.. HE SAID THAT THE RIGHT WHEEL MAINTAINED TRACTION, AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. DURING THE GROUND LOOP, THE LEFT WING, AILERON, AND LEFT ELEVATOR STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AT 1153, AN AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) WAS REPORTING IN PART: WIND, 159 DEGREES (MAGNETIC) AT 7 KNOTS. (-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 1130 ADT ON JULY 1, 1998 A WHEEL EQUIPPED CESSNA 185 AIRPLANE N4574F LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND GROUND LOOPED UPON LANDING AT ILIAMNA, ALASKA. THE PILOT IN COMMAND WAS ROBERT A. MEALING, EMPLOYED BY ILIAMNA LODGE WHO WAS THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WAS ONE PASSENGER ONBOARD, NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. WIND WAS 090 AT 9 KTS. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE PILOT WAS NOT TAILWHEEL CURRENT AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.