20150714010239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper PA-12 · Buhl, ID · July 14, 2015

Date: July 14, 2015 · 09:15 local
Place: Buhl, ID
Airport: Buhl Municipal
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3795M
NTSB investigation: NTSBGAA15CA184
Reported as: Piper PA-12
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-235 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 28,800 total60 in this make and model120 in the last 90 days

N3795MRegistered now · Piper PA-12S/N 12-2722 · Built 1947 Airframe modelPiper PA-12 Engine modelLycoming 0-235 series4 cycle

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.

During landing, the student pilot was manipulating the controls and the aircraft bounced and began drifting toward the right side of the runway. The instructor pilot (PIC) initiated a go-around. The PIC stated the student pilot froze on the controls and the student pilot states he did not hear the PIC tell him he was taking the controls. During the go-around, the PIC lowered the nose sightly and the main wheels came into contact with the ground. During this contact, the aircraft veered sharply to the right and ground looped to the right. The left wing contacted the ground, causing substantial damage. The left elevator contacted a rock pile, causing substantial damage. The left main gear collapsed. Skid marks on the ground indicate either the student or PIC had their right heel on the brake which caused aircraft to veer to the right when the wheels came into contact with the ground during the go-around and also caused the subsequent ground loop to the right.

As the FAA filed it

DURING LANDING, THE STUDENT PILOT WAS MANIPULATING THE CONTROLS AND THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND BEGAN DRIFTING TOWARD THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (PIC) INITIATED A GO-AROUND. THE PIC STATED THE STUDENT PILOT FROZE ON THE CONTROLS AND THE STUDENT PILOT STATES HE DID NOT HEAR THE PIC TELL HIM HE WAS TAKING THE CONTROLS. DURING THE GO-AROUND, THE PIC LOWERED THE NOSE SIGHTLY AND THE MAIN WHEELS CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. DURING THIS CONTACT, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT AND GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT. THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE LEFT ELEVATOR CONTACTED A ROCK PILE, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. SKID MARKS ON THE GROUND INDICATE EITHER THE STUDENT OR PIC HAD THEIR RIGHT HEEL ON THE BRAKE WHICH CAUSED AIRCRAFT TO VEER TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE WHEELS CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE GROUND DURING THE GO-AROUND AND ALSO CAUSED THE SUBSEQUENT GROUND LOOP TO THE RIGHT.

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 GAA15CA184Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportBuhl, IDThe student/instructed pilot lost directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a runway excursion, and ground loop.Jul 14, 2015 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3795M · 1

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

Incident 20010422008259INormal Cruise · Buhl, IA(-23)The pilot made a precautionary landing on a road. He suspected a mechanical malfunction in the aircraft engine.Apr 22, 2001