What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On July 19, 2001, approximately 1308 pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-20-135 airplane, N8901C, was substantially damaged in a ground loop during landing on runway 4 at Roberts Field, Redmond, Oregon. The private pilot, whose application to register the aircraft in his name was pending with the FAA, and one passenger were not injured in the accident. Visual meteorological conditions were reported at Redmond in a special observation taken at 1310, and the aircraft was on a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan from pullman, Washington. A preliminary FAA report stated that the aircraft twice attempted to land on runway 28 (7,006 feet by 100 feet grooved asphalt, according to the us government airport/facility directory [a/fd].) The control tower then offered runway 4 (7,040 feet by 150 feet grooved asphalt, per the a/fd.) The aircraft subsequently touched down and ground looped. According to the Redmond 1310 special observation, winds were variable between 280 and 010 degrees true at 8 knots. In a preliminary telephone conversation with the NTSB investigator-in-charge (iic), the pilot stated that he was a "low time taildragger pilot." He stated that the accident sequenc e began with the aircraft on centerline, but that the aircraft then started going to the left. He reported that "the wind got under the right wing", and he lost control of the aircraft. The aircraft ground looped to the left. (-23) pilot attempted two approaches to rwy 28 but did not like crosswind. He then accepted and landed on rwy 4. During rollout aircraft ground-looped to left, breaking off tail wheel and striking right wing tip, elevator, and rudder. Entire fuselage twisted to left approximately 10-15 degrees, just forward of empenage.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON JULY 19, 2001, APPROXIMATELY 1308 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A PIPER PA-20-135 AIRPLANE, N8901C, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED IN A GROUND LOOP DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 4 AT ROBERTS FIELD, REDMOND, OREGON. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHOSE APPLICATION TO REGISTER THE AIRCRAFT IN HIS NAME WAS PENDING WITH THE FAA, AND ONE PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE REPORTED AT REDMOND IN A SPECIAL OBSERVATION TAKEN AT 1310, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) FLIGHT PLAN FROM PULLMAN, WASHINGTON. A PRELIMINARY FAA REPORT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TWICE ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 28 (7,006 FEET BY 100 FEET GROOVED ASPHALT, ACCORDING TO THE US GOVERNMENT AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY [A/FD].) THE CONTROL TOWER THEN OFFERED RUNWAY 4 (7,040 FEET BY 150 FEET GROOVED ASPHALT, PER THE A/FD.) THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY TOUCHED DOWN AND GROUND LOOPED. ACCORDING TO THE REDMOND 1310 SPECIAL OBSERVATION, WINDS WERE VARIABLE BETWEEN 280 AND 010 DEGREES TRUE AT 8 KNOTS. IN A PRELIMINARY TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NTSB INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE (IIC), THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS A "LOW TIME TAILDRAGGER PILOT." HE STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT SEQUENC E BEGAN WITH THE AIRCRAFT ON CENTERLINE, BUT THAT THE AIRCRAFT THEN STARTED GOING TO THE LEFT. HE REPORTED THAT "THE WIND GOT UNDER THE RIGHT WING", AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT. (-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED TWO APPROACHES TO RWY 28 BUT DID NOT LIKE CROSSWIND. HE THEN ACCEPTED AND LANDED ON RWY 4. DURING ROLLOUT AIRCRAFT GROUND-LOOPED TO LEFT, BREAKING OFF TAIL WHEEL AND STRIKING RIGHT WING TIP, ELEVATOR, AND RUDDER. ENTIRE FUSELAGE TWISTED TO LEFT APPROXIMATELY 10-15 DEGREES, JUST FORWARD OF EMPENAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.