20071105831699A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 140 · Pultney, VT · November 5, 2007

Date: November 5, 2007 · 10:00 local
Place: Pultney, VT
Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N89120
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN08CA026
Reported as: Cessna 140
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 300 total200 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days

N89120Registration cancelled Mar 11, 2013 · Cessna 140S/N 8128 · Built 1946 Airframe modelCessna 140 Engine modelContinental C85 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) On initial landing at a newly prepared prival runway, the tailwheel struck a large rock, which caused the tailwheel mount rivets to fail. The tailwheel then jammed the rudder, which caused a loss of control. The aircraft ground looped, hitting the right wingtip. The aircraft nosed into a ditch, which caused the aircraft to come to rest in a tail-high attitude. There was damage to both wings, a strut, the engine mount and the boot cowl.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON INITIAL LANDING AT A NEWLY PREPARED PRIVAL RUNWAY, THE TAILWHEEL STRUCK A LARGE ROCK, WHICH CAUSED THE TAILWHEEL MOUNT RIVETS TO FAIL. THE TAILWHEEL THEN JAMMED THE RUDDER, WHICH CAUSED A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED, HITTING THE RIGHT WINGTIP. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED INTO A DITCH, WHICH CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO COME TO REST IN A TAIL-HIGH ATTITUDE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO BOTH WINGS, A STRUT, THE ENGINE MOUNT AND THE BOOT COWL.

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 DEN08CA026Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportPoultney, VTThe pilot's attempt to land on an unimproved airstrip resulting in a ground loop/swerve. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's poor judgement in attempting to land on an unsuitable runway and the unsuitable runway conditions.Nov 5, 2007 · Substantial damage