# Accident 20190630016649A: Piper PA-12, Yakima, WA, June 30, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 30, 2019, 12:24 local time
- Place: Yakima, WA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.5669° N, 120.5372° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.5669&lon=-120.5372&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4238M, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4238M) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-12 (registry code 7101202, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-235 series (registry code 41505, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-235-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-12
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-235 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,297 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA376) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190630016649A

## Narrative

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

THE AIRMAN LANDED ON RUNWAY 27 AT KYKM. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE PILOT STATES HE EXPERIENCED A NOTICEABLE TAIL WHEEL SHIMMY WHICH WAS ABNORMAL FOR THAT AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO ROLLOUT ON THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT INITIATED RUDDER AND AILERON INPUT TO COUNTER THE TURNING TAIL. THE CONTROLS WERE INEFFECTIVE AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED TO THE LEFT, THE LEFT WING DIPPED, STRIKING THE GROUND AND DAMAGING THE LEFT WING, BENDING THE LEFT STRUT. THE TAIL WHEEL SPRING WAS MISSING FROM THE TAIL AND LATER FOUND ON THE RUNWAY INTACT BUT NOT PRESENT ON THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD FLOWN APPROXIMATELY 10 HOURS SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL WITHOUT ISSUE WITH THE TAIL SPRING OR THE CONNECTORS. THE PILOT STATED A THOROUGH PRE-FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT AND THE TAIL WHEEL SPRING WAS NOTED ON THE TAIL. WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE GUSTY WITH TOWER PROVIDING MULTIPLE WIND CHANGES PRIOR TO THE LANDING EVENT.

## 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 GAA19CA376](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA376), Jun 30, 2019: Piper PA 12 (N4238M), Yakima, WA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The separation of the left steering spring from the tailwheel assembly during landing for reasons that could not be determined, which resulted in a ground loop.

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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