What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 02, 2018 at 7:00 pm eastern daylight time, an experimental Gerald Dan Coppock model: Babe-E aircraft, N142NV, registered to and operated by a sport pilot, received substantial damage when it departed the runway surface following a loss of directional control while landing on runway 01 at the Escanaba airport (esc), Escanaba, Michigan. Visual meteorological conditions and light winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The local private flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the Escanaba airport approximately 1/2 hour prior to the accident.
According to the pilot, he was landing on runway 01 and the airplane touched down normally. During the roll-out a loss of directional control occurred once the tail wheel made contact with the runway. The aircraft turned to the left and ground looped. During the accident sequence both wing tips made ground contact with the aircraft finally pitching over striking the runway surface with both the propeller and engine cowl. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft unaided.
Upon investigation it was found that the right steering cable chain was broken and hanging from the tailwheel. It is undetermined if this was caused prior to or during the accident sequence.
Weather report at (kesc) airport at 06:56 pm local was: wind 330 degrees at 5 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, broken 4000, temp. 19 c, dew point 14 c, and altimeter 29.99.
Runway surface was dry at the time of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 02, 2018 AT 7:00 PM EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL GERALD DAN COPPOCK MODEL: BABE-E AIRCRAFT, N142NV, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A SPORT PILOT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE FOLLOWING A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE LANDING ON RUNWAY 01 AT THE ESCANABA AIRPORT (ESC), ESCANABA, MICHIGAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND LIGHT WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE LOCAL PRIVATE FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE ESCANABA AIRPORT APPROXIMATELY 1/2 HOUR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 01 AND THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY. DURING THE ROLL-OUT A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OCCURRED ONCE THE TAIL WHEEL MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE LEFT AND GROUND LOOPED. DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE BOTH WING TIPS MADE GROUND CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT FINALLY PITCHING OVER STRIKING THE RUNWAY SURFACE WITH BOTH THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE COWL. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT UNAIDED.
UPON INVESTIGATION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE RIGHT STEERING CABLE CHAIN WAS BROKEN AND HANGING FROM THE TAILWHEEL. IT IS UNDETERMINED IF THIS WAS CAUSED PRIOR TO OR DURING THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.
WEATHER REPORT AT (KESC) AIRPORT AT 06:56 PM LOCAL WAS: WIND 330 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, BROKEN 4000, TEMP. 19 C, DEW POINT 14 C, AND ALTIMETER 29.99.
RUNWAY SURFACE WAS DRY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.