What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Mr. Varnam was giving instruction to the aircraft owner who had just landed the aircraft. Mr. Varnam was in the left seat where brake pedals were located, and allowed the plane to get out of control before attempting to stop it. The aircraft groundlooped, causing damage to the right gear and attach points, right strut cluster, right wing and spars/ribs, the tailwheel ount bracket, and the fuselage bent just forward of the stabilizer trim area on the upper left quadrant. Note: evidence has shown that this aircraft has been damaged before. The left wing strut lower fittings were found adjusted to their outer limit, and the right wing strut lower fittings were found adjusted to their inner limit. Per a local mechanic, the old and new owners were advised that the landing gear may be in misalignment due to the wing strut adjustment issue prior to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) MR. VARNAM WAS GIVING INSTRUCTION TO THE AIRCRAFT OWNER WHO HAD JUST LANDED THE AIRCRAFT. MR. VARNAM WAS IN THE LEFT SEAT WHERE BRAKE PEDALS WERE LOCATED, AND ALLOWED THE PLANE TO GET OUT OF CONTROL BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO STOP IT. THE AIRCRAFT GROUNDLOOPED, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT GEAR AND ATTACH POINTS, RIGHT STRUT CLUSTER, RIGHT WING AND SPARS/RIBS, THE TAILWHEEL OUNT BRACKET, AND THE FUSELAGE BENT JUST FORWARD OF THE STABILIZER TRIM AREA ON THE UPPER LEFT QUADRANT. NOTE: EVIDENCE HAS SHOWN THAT THIS AIRCRAFT HAS BEEN DAMAGED BEFORE. THE LEFT WING STRUT LOWER FITTINGS WERE FOUND ADJUSTED TO THEIR OUTER LIMIT, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUT LOWER FITTINGS WERE FOUND ADJUSTED TO THEIR INNER LIMIT. PER A LOCAL MECHANIC, THE OLD AND NEW OWNERS WERE ADVISED THAT THE LANDING GEAR MAY BE IN MISALIGNMENT DUE TO THE WING STRUT ADJUSTMENT ISSUE PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.