OpenAirDocs.org

20140711010509A

Accident · Substantial damage
Open the Markdown

FAA accident report · Piper PA-18-150 · Chandler, AZ · July 11, 2014

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

© OpenStreetMap
Date
July 11, 2014 · 08:31 local
Place
Chandler, AZ
Airport
Chandler Municipal
Phase of flight
Landing: Rollout
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N83447
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR14CA289
Reported as
Piper PA-18-150
Reported engine
Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
120 total12 in this make and model2 in the last 90 days
N83447Registered now · Piper PA-18-150S/N 18-7609138 · Built 1976Airframe modelPiper PA-18-150Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

The pilot stated that at approximately 0845 local time while performing touch and goes on runway 4 at kchd, that the 4th approach was "normal with expected speeds". As the pilot touched down for a wheel landing he stated he was tracking the centerline. Upon slowing further he moved the tailwheel to the ground. The pilot states that at that point the aircraft began to head toward the left side of the runway. Tire skid marks were found on the left side of the runway consistent with the pilots description.

The pilot states he then input right rudder to correct and the aircraft went into an "unexpected" hard right turn. The pilot states he was unable to correct with opposite rudder and the aircraft skidded and came to rest upright on a west north west heading on the east side of runway 04 200 feet down the runway from the initial skid marks. The pilot stated that he does not remember making any aileron or brake control inputs during the event.

White paint marks on the runway were also present where the left wing struck the the runway surface during the ground loop event. The left wing forward and aft spars just out board of the aileron were damaged. The left main landing gear wheel and hub cap were damaged. There was minor damage to the left aileron and adjacent wing trailing edges.

During the investigation flight control and brake systems were verified for continuity and proper operation. The propeller was undamaged.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT STATED THAT AT APPROXIMATELY 0845 LOCAL TIME WHILE PERFORMING TOUCH AND GOES ON RUNWAY 4 AT KCHD, THAT THE 4TH APPROACH WAS "NORMAL WITH EXPECTED SPEEDS". AS THE PILOT TOUCHED DOWN FOR A WHEEL LANDING HE STATED HE WAS TRACKING THE CENTERLINE. UPON SLOWING FURTHER HE MOVED THE TAILWHEEL TO THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATES THAT AT THAT POINT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO HEAD TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. TIRE SKID MARKS WERE FOUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY CONSISTENT WITH THE PILOTS DESCRIPTION.

THE PILOT STATES HE THEN INPUT RIGHT RUDDER TO CORRECT AND THE AIRCRAFT WENT INTO AN "UNEXPECTED" HARD RIGHT TURN. THE PILOT STATES HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT WITH OPPOSITE RUDDER AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT ON A WEST NORTH WEST HEADING ON THE EAST SIDE OF RUNWAY 04 200 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY FROM THE INITIAL SKID MARKS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DOES NOT REMEMBER MAKING ANY AILERON OR BRAKE CONTROL INPUTS DURING THE EVENT.

WHITE PAINT MARKS ON THE RUNWAY WERE ALSO PRESENT WHERE THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE THE RUNWAY SURFACE DURING THE GROUND LOOP EVENT. THE LEFT WING FORWARD AND AFT SPARS JUST OUT BOARD OF THE AILERON WERE DAMAGED. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR WHEEL AND HUB CAP WERE DAMAGED. THERE WAS MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT AILERON AND ADJACENT WING TRAILING EDGES.

DURING THE INVESTIGATION FLIGHT CONTROL AND BRAKE SYSTEMS WERE VERIFIED FOR CONTINUITY AND PROPER OPERATION. THE PROPELLER WAS UNDAMAGED.

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 WPR14CA289Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportChandler, AZThe pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.Jul 11, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N83447 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20101226054919ILanding: Touchdown · Chandler, AZPilot dave legas was conducting a VFR local traffic pattern flight. His first takeoff and landing was normal. His passenger was a pilot as well but was not current. He had flown with this pilot many times in the past. On the third downwind leg pilot legas…Dec 26, 2010 · Minor damage