19980804019529A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bbavia 7ECA · Van Nuys, CA · August 4, 1998

Date: August 4, 1998 · 13:40 local
Place: Van Nuys, CA
Airport: Van Nuys Airport
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N8335V
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX98LA257
Reported as: Bbavia 7ECA
Reported engine: Lycoming O235*
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,106 total27 in this make and model51 in the last 90 days

N8335VRegistered now · Champion 7ECAS/N 474 · Built 1966 Airframe modelChampion 7ECA Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Ground looped on landing roll. (-23) inspected aircraft landing gear attach points. Center fuselage landing gear attach bracket showed failure due to stress. Pilot and passenger stated landing was normal, as did ATC. Suspect previous hard landing. All aircraft records in order. Did not discover any maintenance items which contributed to accident. (.4) a pilot witness to the accident stated that the aircraft made a normal approach and appeared to be compensating for the left crosswind by lowering the left wing into the wind. The airplane touched down on the left main, and then the right main was lowered to the runway, followed by the tail wheel. After the tail wheel touched down the left wing rose and the airplane turned left. The left wing dropped, rose again, and then the airplane turned to the right and ground looped on the runway. During this process the right main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft was inspected and no discrepancies were noted.

As the FAA filed it

GROUND LOOPED ON LANDING ROLL. (-23) INSPECTED AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR ATTACH POINTS. CENTER FUSELAGE LANDING GEAR ATTACH BRACKET SHOWED FAILURE DUE TO STRESS. PILOT AND PASSENGER STATED LANDING WAS NORMAL, AS DID ATC. SUSPECT PREVIOUS HARD LANDING. ALL AIRCRAFT RECORDS IN ORDER. DID NOT DISCOVER ANY MAINTENANCE ITEMS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO ACCIDENT. (.4) A PILOT WITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT MADE A NORMAL APPROACH AND APPEARED TO BE COMPENSATING FOR THE LEFT CROSSWIND BY LOWERING THE LEFT WING INTO THE WIND. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN, AND THEN THE RIGHT MAIN WAS LOWERED TO THE RUNWAY, FOLLOWED BY THE TAIL WHEEL. AFTER THE TAIL WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN THE LEFT WING ROSE AND THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT. THE LEFT WING DROPPED, ROSE AGAIN, AND THEN THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND GROUND LOOPED ON THE RUNWAY. DURING THIS PROCESS THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSPECTED AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX98LA257Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportVan Nuys, CAThe pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition and failure to maintain directional control that subsequently lead to a ground loop/swerve.Aug 4, 1998 · Substantial damage