What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot was performing a short-field landing on runway 13 at Leesburg. He reported to the investigating inspector that he touched down in a three-point attitude, and shortly thereafter the plane began veering to the left. (Two witnesses reported that after touchdown the airplane bounced once). The pilot applied full right rudder to correct, but there was no response. The pilot then applied power to induce more propwash over the rudder for effectiveness;several seconds later the plane began a sharp veer to the right. Five to 10 seconds later after the airplane passed the apex of the right turning arc, the left wingtip struck the ground which was followed by the airplane tipping forward onto its nose with the main landing gear still on the ground. There was sudden engine stoppage, both propeller blades were bent rearward, the propeller spinnder was dented, the left wing tip was scraped, and the air filter housing on the bottom of the engine cowling was crushed inward. The plane remained tipped up on its nose on the right side of the runway near the edge line. It faced approximately 180 degrees from its initial landing direction.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A SHORT-FIELD LANDING ON RUNWAY 13 AT LEESBURG. HE REPORTED TO THE INVESTIGATING INSPECTOR THAT HE TOUCHED DOWN IN A THREE-POINT ATTITUDE, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PLANE BEGAN VEERING TO THE LEFT. (TWO WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED ONCE). THE PILOT APPLIED FULL RIGHT RUDDER TO CORRECT, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE PILOT THEN APPLIED POWER TO INDUCE MORE PROPWASH OVER THE RUDDER FOR EFFECTIVENESS;SEVERAL SECONDS LATER THE PLANE BEGAN A SHARP VEER TO THE RIGHT. FIVE TO 10 SECONDS LATER AFTER THE AIRPLANE PASSED THE APEX OF THE RIGHT TURNING ARC, THE LEFT WINGTIP STRUCK THE GROUND WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY THE AIRPLANE TIPPING FORWARD ONTO ITS NOSE WITH THE MAIN LANDING GEAR STILL ON THE GROUND. THERE WAS SUDDEN ENGINE STOPPAGE, BOTH PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT REARWARD, THE PROPELLER SPINNDER WAS DENTED, THE LEFT WING TIP WAS SCRAPED, AND THE AIR FILTER HOUSING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COWLING WAS CRUSHED INWARD. THE PLANE REMAINED TIPPED UP ON ITS NOSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY NEAR THE EDGE LINE. IT FACED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES FROM ITS INITIAL LANDING DIRECTION.
Other reports on N3917Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.