What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to the pilot, on July 29, 2017, he was in the back seat of aircraft registration number N72BD when he and the aircraft owner (which is also pilot) departed from the aircraft owner?s farm runway for an orientation flight. After takeoff he took controls of the aircraft. The pilot indicated that he performed some maneuvers and then proceeded to Eagle Lake Airport (kela). He was controlling the aircraft through the traffic pattern and the time was about 1145. The wind was from about 210 at about 8 knots. On final as they approached just before touchdown on the runway a gust from the right caused the aircraft to turn right. The aircraft hit the runway and headed off the pavement. According to the pilot, at that time the aircraft owner said ?I?ve got it?. The aircraft hit a runway light and then ground looped in a right turn on the adjoining grass. The aircraft was taxied to the ramp. No one was injured. The pilot added that he was acting as pilot in command but not performing as a certified flight instructor. An inspection of the aircraft revealed damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and the skin on the left side of the fuselage behind the rear window area.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ON JULY 29, 2017, HE WAS IN THE BACK SEAT OF AIRCRAFT REGISTRATION NUMBER N72BD WHEN HE AND THE AIRCRAFT OWNER (WHICH IS ALSO PILOT) DEPARTED FROM THE AIRCRAFT OWNER?S FARM RUNWAY FOR AN ORIENTATION FLIGHT. AFTER TAKEOFF HE TOOK CONTROLS OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE PERFORMED SOME MANEUVERS AND THEN PROCEEDED TO EAGLE LAKE AIRPORT (KELA). HE WAS CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT THROUGH THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND THE TIME WAS ABOUT 1145. THE WIND WAS FROM ABOUT 210 AT ABOUT 8 KNOTS. ON FINAL AS THEY APPROACHED JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN ON THE RUNWAY A GUST FROM THE RIGHT CAUSED THE AIRCRAFT TO TURN RIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE RUNWAY AND HEADED OFF THE PAVEMENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AT THAT TIME THE AIRCRAFT OWNER SAID ?I?VE GOT IT?. THE AIRCRAFT HIT A RUNWAY LIGHT AND THEN GROUND LOOPED IN A RIGHT TURN ON THE ADJOINING GRASS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED TO THE RAMP. NO ONE WAS INJURED. THE PILOT ADDED THAT HE WAS ACTING AS PILOT IN COMMAND BUT NOT PERFORMING AS A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED DAMAGE TO THE RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER AND THE SKIN ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FUSELAGE BEHIND THE REAR WINDOW AREA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.