20090329003129I

Incident · Minor damage

FAA incident report · Eastma GS-2 SPORTSMAN · Apple Valley, CA · March 29, 2009

Date: March 29, 2009 · 12:45 local
Place: Apple Valley, CA
Airport: Apple Valley
Phase of flight: Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N102RE
Reported as: Eastma GS2SPORTSMAN
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 12,000 total317 in this make and model35 in the last 90 days

N102RERegistered now · Eastman Richard P GS-2 SPORTSMANS/N 7182 · Built 2006 Airframe modelEastman Richard P GS-2 SPORTSMAN Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

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) While landing on runway 18, the aircraft was ground looped. Winds were reported 24022G30, but pilot reported actual wind direction was variable. Pilot originally attempted to land rwy 26: however, actual wind was favoring runway 18. Upon touchdown on runway 18, the wind changed direction, causing the aircraft to weather vane into the wind, inducing the ground loop.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 18, THE AIRCRAFT WAS GROUND LOOPED. WINDS WERE REPORTED 24022G30, BUT PILOT REPORTED ACTUAL WIND DIRECTION WAS VARIABLE. PILOT ORIGINALLY ATTEMPTED TO LAND RWY 26: HOWEVER, ACTUAL WIND WAS FAVORING RUNWAY 18. UPON TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 18, THE WIND CHANGED DIRECTION, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO WEATHER VANE INTO THE WIND, INDUCING THE GROUND LOOP.