# Accident 19990314002199A: Amtr RANSS4, Mesa, AZ, March 14, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: March 14, 1999, 13:38 local time - Place: Mesa, AZ - Airport: Falcon Field Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 33.5106° N, 111.5809° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5106&lon=-111.5809&mi=10 - Aircraft: N199AG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N199AG-2018-09-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Gallob ART RANS S4 (registry code 05601PR, https://openairdocs.org/model/gallob-art-rans-s4) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR RANSS4 - Reported engine: ROTAX ROTAX503 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 343 total, 76 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA119) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990314002199A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT GROUND LOOPED AFTER LANDING AND WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. (.19)ON MARCH 14, 1999, AT 1338 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A GALLOB RANS S4, N199AG, LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING A TOUCH-AND-GO AND SUBSEQUENTLY GROUND LOOPED AT FALCON FIELD, MESA, ARIZONA. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS ALSO THE OWNER/BUILDER OF THE AIRCRAFT, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO'S AT THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT AND VISUAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE IME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED IN MESA AT 1300 HOURS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD JUST LIFTED OFF RUNWAY 22 WHEN THE LEFT WING LIFTED INTO THE AIR AND HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN LEVEL FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND; GROUND LOOPED, AND NOSED OVER. HE ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING ABOUT 30-40MPH WHEN THIS OCCURRED. THE PILOT TOLD THE FAA THAT HE HAD NOTICED THIS TENDENCY BEFORE, BUT THAT HE WAS ALWAYS ABLE TO MAKE CONTROL INPUTS TO CORRECT THIS TENDENCY. (.4)THE PILOT HAD TAKEN OFF FROM THE AIRPORT TO REMAIN IN THE PATTERN FOR TOUCH-AND-GO'S ON RUNWAY 22R. THE PILOT HAD ALREADY COMPLETED TWO TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS, AND WAS ON THE THIRD TAKEOFF. HE SAID A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO BECOME AIRBORNE AS HE LIFTED THE TAIL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN WENT INTO A STEEP RIGHT BANK AND TURNED RIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 10 FEET AGL. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY AND THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE DOWN AND CARTWHEEL. THE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT HE WAS HOLDING FULL LEFT AILERON FROM THE MOMENT HE NOTICED THE LEFT WING LIFTOFF THE GROUND, WITH NO EFFECT. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND SAID IT APPEARED TO BE RIGGED PROPERLY. THE WINDS REPORTED AT THE AIRPORT AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE FROM 190 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. (-23)PILOT WAS CONDUCTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS DURING PLEASURE FLIGHT AT FALCON FIELD, WHICH IS TOWER CONTROLLED. WINDS WERE REPORTED AS GUSTING TO APPROXIMATELY TEN KNOTS TO 190. RUNWAY 22R WAS BEING USED. PILOT STATED THAT CROSSWIND WAS FORCING HIM TO USE FULL AILERON ON TAKEOFF TO KEEP LEFT W ING LEVEL. ON LAST TAKEOFF, LEFT WING CAME UP AND FULL AILERON WOULD NOT CORRECT ALTITUDE. AIRCRAFT EITHER STALLED NOSE DOWN RIGHT, OR FLEW NOSE DOWN RIGHT ENOUGH FOR THE RIGHT WING TO CONTACT GROUND AND GROUND LOOP AIRCRAFT. AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND PILOT (LONE OCCUPANT) RECEIVED SMALL CUT ON ONE KNEE, WHICH DID NOT REQUIRE STICHES. PILOT STATED THAT HE HAS EXPERIENCED SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH CROSSWIND AILERON CONTROL BEFORE. AILERONS APPEARED TO BE RIGGED PROPERLY DURING INVESTIGATION. CROSSWIND COMPONENT CRITERIA IN PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK FROM MANUFACTURER MAY NEED RE-EVALUATION UNDER SOME WIND CONDITIONS. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX99LA119](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA119), Mar 14, 1999: Gallob Rans S4 (N199AG), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the existing crosswind condition and to maintain lateral control of the aircraft. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.