What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On January 12, 2014, around 14:29 PST, N6888, an RV6 tail-wheeled airplane, ground looped during touch-and-go on runway 04R at Sacramento Mather Airport (mhr), Sacramento, CA. The flight was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. At the time of the accident, the wind was reported from 330° at 13 gusting 23KTS. The personal flight originated from university airport (edu), davis, CA.
According to the private pilot, during crosswind landing practice, the airplane abruptly veered left upon touch down, then bounced several times. As the airplane bounced, the pilot applied full power in an attempt to go around, but he was unable to maintain directional control, resulting in a ground loop to the right of the runway center line; then the airplane exited the runway surface and came to rest in a dirt area.
Examination of the accident airplane did not reveal any indication of a pre-impact system malfunction or airframe failure. All damage to the airplane resulted when the main landing gear legs folded backward under the fuselage, causing damage to the underside of the airplane and to the propeller. The right-wing leading edge was substantially damaged when it struck a runway distance marker sign.
The pilot was counseled over the phone. He recognizes that the first successful crosswind landing that day may have influenced his decision-making process, which made him feel overconfident. He now understands it is important to be competent and mindful of his own ability and personal limitations.
Comments: a search of faa's databases did not disclose a violation, accident, or incident history for this airman.
As the FAA filed it
ON JANUARY 12, 2014, AROUND 14:29 PST, N6888, AN RV6 TAIL-WHEELED AIRPLANE, GROUND LOOPED DURING TOUCH-AND-GO ON RUNWAY 04R AT SACRAMENTO MATHER AIRPORT (MHR), SACRAMENTO, CA. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE WIND WAS REPORTED FROM 330° AT 13 GUSTING 23KTS. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM UNIVERSITY AIRPORT (EDU), DAVIS, CA.
ACCORDING TO THE PRIVATE PILOT, DURING CROSSWIND LANDING PRACTICE, THE AIRPLANE ABRUPTLY VEERED LEFT UPON TOUCH DOWN, THEN BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES. AS THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED, THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER IN AN ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, RESULTING IN A GROUND LOOP TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE; THEN THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE RUNWAY SURFACE AND CAME TO REST IN A DIRT AREA.
EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE DID NOT REVEAL ANY INDICATION OF A PRE-IMPACT SYSTEM MALFUNCTION OR AIRFRAME FAILURE. ALL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE RESULTED WHEN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR LEGS FOLDED BACKWARD UNDER THE FUSELAGE, CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE UNDERSIDE OF THE AIRPLANE AND TO THE PROPELLER. THE RIGHT-WING LEADING EDGE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT STRUCK A RUNWAY DISTANCE MARKER SIGN.
THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED OVER THE PHONE. HE RECOGNIZES THAT THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL CROSSWIND LANDING THAT DAY MAY HAVE INFLUENCED HIS DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, WHICH MADE HIM FEEL OVERCONFIDENT. HE NOW UNDERSTANDS IT IS IMPORTANT TO BE COMPETENT AND MINDFUL OF HIS OWN ABILITY AND PERSONAL LIMITATIONS.
COMMENTS: A SEARCH OF FAA'S DATABASES DID NOT DISCLOSE A VIOLATION, ACCIDENT, OR INCIDENT HISTORY FOR THIS AIRMAN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.