20041223033459A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Frchld 24W-41A · Wenatchee, WA · December 23, 2004

Date: December 23, 2004 · 15:45 local
Place: Wenatchee, WA
Airport: Pangborn Memorial Airport
Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N28525
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA05CA030
Reported as: Frchld 24W41A
Reported engine: WARNER SCARAB165
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,500 total5 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N28525Registered now · Fairchild 24W-41AS/N W40-134 · Built 1940 Airframe modelFairchild 24W-41A Engine modelWarner SS165 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) The pilot privacy data omitted received 1 hour of instruction from the previous owner. Then ferried the aircraft to Wenatchee, WA. The pilot privacy data omitted performed a wheel landing at Wenatchee. He stated the landing was smooth and he had nor directional control problems until lowering the tail wheel. He stated the aircraft started to crow hop then started an uncommanded turn towards the right. The left main gear folded under the aircraft and the right main gear moved up and outward bending the gear strut support. The pilot privacy data omitted believes the use of the brakes may have been the cause of the ground loop. This fairchild 24 is equipped with the original bladder hydraulic brakes. He believes the three hour flight at very cold temperatures may have caused the brake bladders to become stiff and when he used the brakes they became stuck on during the landing causing the ground loop.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ RECEIVED 1 HOUR OF INSTRUCTION FROM THE PREVIOUS OWNER. THEN FERRIED THE AIRCRAFT TO WENATCHEE, WA. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ PERFORMED A WHEEL LANDING AT WENATCHEE. HE STATED THE LANDING WAS SMOOTH AND HE HAD NOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL PROBLEMS UNTIL LOWERING THE TAIL WHEEL. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO CROW HOP THEN STARTED AN UNCOMMANDED TURN TOWARDS THE RIGHT. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR FOLDED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT AND THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR MOVED UP AND OUTWARD BENDING THE GEAR STRUT SUPPORT. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY D^ BELIEVES THE USE OF THE BRAKES MAY HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE OF THE GROUND LOOP. THIS FAIRCHILD 24 IS EQUIPPED WITH THE ORIGINAL BLADDER HYDRAULIC BRAKES. HE BELIEVES THE THREE HOUR FLIGHT AT VERY COLD TEMPERATURES MAY HAVE CAUSED THE BRAKE BLADDERS TO BECOME STIFF AND WHEN HE USED THE BRAKES THEY BECAME STUCK ON DURING THE LANDING CAUSING THE GROUND LOOP.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA05CA030Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportWenatchee, WAThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A frozen brake was a factor.Dec 24, 2004 · Substantial damage