What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 15, 1999, at 1245 central daylight time (CDT), an engleman pitts S1, N64DE, operated by a commercial pilot ground looped while landing at the Coles County Memorial Airport, Mattoon, Illinois. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight originated from Mattoon, Illinois, at 1200 CDT. The landing was being made on runway 11 (6,501' x 150') with the local winds from 170 at 10 knots. The left lower wing was substantially damaged when it contacted the runway during the ground loop. (-23)while practicing landings at Mattoon-Coles conty memorial. Airport the pilot in command had completed three (3) uneventfull landings on the sod runway 17. The pilot then decided to land on hard surface runway 11. Winds at the time were reported to be 170 degrees and 10 knots with some gusting. The aircraft touchdown was normal for approximately 5-8 seconds, then the aircraft swerved to the right. The pilot applied full left brake and rudder, however the swerve continued to worsen resulting in the collapse of th e left main landing gear. The pilot later stated that this was his first landing on the hard surface runway in this aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 15, 1999, AT 1245 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT), AN ENGLEMAN PITTS S1, N64DE, OPERATED BY A COMMERCIAL PILOT GROUND LOOPED WHILE LANDING AT THE COLES COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT, MATTOON, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM MATTOON, ILLINOIS, AT 1200 CDT. THE LANDING WAS BEING MADE ON RUNWAY 11 (6,501' X 150') WITH THE LOCAL WINDS FROM 170 AT 10 KNOTS. THE LEFT LOWER WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT CONTACTED THE RUNWAY DURING THE GROUND LOOP. (-23)WHILE PRACTICING LANDINGS AT MATTOON-COLES CONTY MEMORIAL. AIRPORT THE PILOT IN COMMAND HAD COMPLETED THREE (3) UNEVENTFULL LANDINGS ON THE SOD RUNWAY 17. THE PILOT THEN DECIDED TO LAND ON HARD SURFACE RUNWAY 11. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED TO BE 170 DEGREES AND 10 KNOTS WITH SOME GUSTING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL FOR APPROXIMATELY 5-8 SECONDS, THEN THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL LEFT BRAKE AND RUDDER, HOWEVER THE SWERVE CONTINUED TO WORSEN RESULTING IN THE COLLAPSE OF TH E LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT LATER STATED THAT THIS WAS HIS FIRST LANDING ON THE HARD SURFACE RUNWAY IN THIS AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.