# Accident 20000411007579A: Aviat PITTSS1S, Daytona Beach, FL, April 11, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 11, 2000, 15:30 local time
- Place: Daytona Beach, FL
- Airport: Spruce Creek Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.1704° N, 81.1391° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1704&lon=-81.1391&mi=10
- Aircraft: N27235 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AVIAT PITTSS1S
- Reported engine: LYC O320A2B
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 784 total, 58 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA137) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000411007579A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) AFTER LANDING PILOT REPORTED UNCOMMANDED FULL RIGHT RUDDER CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH AIRCRAFT HANGAR. NO INJURY TO PIC, HOWEVER BOTH AIRCRAFT AND HANGAR WERE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. FAA INSPECTION FOUND FRONT TAIL WHEEL HOLD DOWN BOLT SHEARED CAUSING TAIL WHEEL ASSEMBLY TO FOLD TO THE RIGHT FOLLOWED BY FULL RIGHT RUDDER. (.4) ON APRIL 11, 2000, ABOUT 1530 EDT A COOPER PITTS S1S, N27235, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, WENT OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A HANGAR DURING LANDING AT SPRUCE CREEK AIRPORT, DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA, WHILE ON A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE A/C RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AND THE COMMERCIAL-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM FERNANDINA BEACH, FLORIDA, THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 1445. THE PILOT STATED THE LANDING ON RUNWAY 4 WAS NORMAL. DURING LANDING ROLLOUT, THE RUDDER SUDDENLY WENT FULL TO THE RIGHT AND THE A/C IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO THE RIGHT AND WENT OFF THE RUNWAY. HE WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE  A/C COLLIDED WITH AHANGAR. HIS POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE A/C SHOWED                    THE FORWARD TAIL WHEEL ATTACH BOLT HAD BROKEN AND THE TAIL WHEEL HAD COLLAPSED TO THE RIGHT AND JAMMED THE RUDDER TO THE RIGHT. THE NTSB WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE ACCIDENT UNTIL APRIL 21, 2000. THE A/C WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA INSPECTOR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THE INSPECTOR COULD NOT REMOVE THE REMAINS OF THE FAILED BOLT FROM THE TAIL WHEEL AND IT WAS NOT RETAINED FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.

## 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 MIA00LA137](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA137), Apr 11, 2000: Walden A. Cooper Pitts S1S (N27235), Daytona Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: Collapse of the tail wheel to the right during landing rollout when the forward attach bolt sheared for undetermined reasons. This resulted in the aircraft's rudder deflecting to the right, the pilot…

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.

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