What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19)On March 29, 2001, about 1030 hours MST, a Piper PA18-150, N9299D, op erated by the pilot was substantially daamged during landing rollout at Holbrook, AZ. The private rated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight operating under 14 CFR part 91 and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at buckeye, AZ. On the morning of the accident and was destined for farmington, NM. With a stop at Holbrook. The pilot reported that when he landed on runway 21 the wind was calm. During the landing rollout the left wing came up and the airplane ground looped to the right. (-23) pilot stated that during landing roll out in calm conditions the aircraft suddenly swerved and ground looped. His post flight inspection revealed that the upper rudder hinge had separated from its mounting point. Inspection by an A&P revealed that rudder hinge had a fatigue crack which had been in existence for some period of time prior to the failure of the remaining 1/8 inch of the hinge attach plate. A & p additionally stated that the point of failure is normally covered by fabric and would not be visible duri ng routine inspection. (.4) on March 29, 2001, about 1030 hours mountain standard time, a Piper PA18-150, N9299D, was substantially damaged during landing rollout at Holbrook, Arizona. The private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight, operated by the pilot under 14 CFR part 91. No flight plan was filed. The flight originated at buckeye, Arizona, on the morning of the accident, and was destined for farmington, new Mexico, with a stop at Holbrook. The pilot reported that when he landed on runway 21 the wind was out of the east about 10 knots. During touchdown the airplane immediately veered right 90 degrees, and exited the runway into sage brush coming to rest on the nose. No official weather was available for the location. The pilot also reported that the lower rudder hinge point had separated from the vertical tail post. The steerable tail wheel is attached to the rudder horns near that hinge. Pictures of the failure were included in the pilot's report.
As the FAA filed it
(.19)ON MARCH 29, 2001, ABOUT 1030 HOURS MST, A PIPER PA18-150, N9299D, OP ERATED BY THE PILOT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAAMGED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT AT HOLBROOK, AZ. THE PRIVATE RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT OPERATING UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BUCKEYE, AZ. ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT AND WAS DESTINED FOR FARMINGTON, NM. WITH A STOP AT HOLBROOK. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LANDED ON RUNWAY 21 THE WIND WAS CALM. DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT THE LEFT WING CAME UP AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. (-23) PILOT STATED THAT DURING LANDING ROLL OUT IN CALM CONDITIONS THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY SWERVED AND GROUND LOOPED. HIS POST FLIGHT INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE UPPER RUDDER HINGE HAD SEPARATED FROM ITS MOUNTING POINT. INSPECTION BY AN A&P REVEALED THAT RUDDER HINGE HAD A FATIGUE CRACK WHICH HAD BEEN IN EXISTENCE FOR SOME PERIOD OF TIME PRIOR TO THE FAILURE OF THE REMAINING 1/8 INCH OF THE HINGE ATTACH PLATE. A & P ADDITIONALLY STATED THAT THE POINT OF FAILURE IS NORMALLY COVERED BY FABRIC AND WOULD NOT BE VISIBLE DURI NG ROUTINE INSPECTION. (.4) ON MARCH 29, 2001, ABOUT 1030 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA18-150, N9299D, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT AT HOLBROOK, ARIZONA. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT, OPERATED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT BUCKEYE, ARIZONA, ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT, AND WAS DESTINED FOR FARMINGTON, NEW MEXICO, WITH A STOP AT HOLBROOK. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE LANDED ON RUNWAY 21 THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE EAST ABOUT 10 KNOTS. DURING TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE IMMEDIATELY VEERED RIGHT 90 DEGREES, AND EXITED THE RUNWAY INTO SAGE BRUSH COMING TO REST ON THE NOSE. NO OFFICIAL WEATHER WAS AVAILABLE FOR THE LOCATION. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT THE LOWER RUDDER HINGE POINT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VERTICAL TAIL POST. THE STEERABLE TAIL WHEEL IS ATTACHED TO THE RUDDER HORNS NEAR THAT HINGE. PICTURES OF THE FAILURE WERE INCLUDED IN THE PILOT'S REPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N9299D · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.