# Accident 20180802014879A: Gerald Dan Coppock BABE-E, Escanaba, MI, August 2, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 2, 2018, 18:24 local time
- Place: Escanaba, MI
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.7228° N, 87.0936° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7228&lon=-87.0936&mi=10
- Aircraft: N142NV, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N142NV) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Gerald Dan Coppock BABE-E (registry code 05633L1, https://openairdocs.org/model/gerald-dan-coppock-babe-e) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental A80 series (registry code 17006, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a80-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: GERALD DAN COPPOCK BABE-E
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A80 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Sport pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,400 total, 55 in this make and model, 15 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA307) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180802014879A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN18LA307](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA307), Aug 2, 2018: Gerald Dan Coppock Bade-E (N142NV), Escanaba, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The loss of control during the landing rollout for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in a ground loop and runway excursion.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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