What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description of incident as reported by toa ATCT: on April 28, 2021 travelaire N8700 piloted by private pilot privacy data omitted, landed on runway 29R at toa, ground looped and hit taxiway sign h. there were no injuries and damage extent unknown.
Causal and/or contributing factors: in an email to inspector agw, privacy data omitted stated that the ground loop was due to strong cross winds, making it difficult to maintain control upon landing.
Inspector agw had previously spoken with privacy data omitted in March for another ground loop incident at toa. In that case, privacy data omitted described getting his shoe caught in the rudder pedals, making it difficult to maintain control upon landing.
Recommendations for corrective action: inspectors npm and agw spoke with privacy data omitted regarding the incident. privacy data omitted Stated that after the ground loop incident, he discovered he had a cataract in one eye and believes that may have contributed to the landing issues. He will be having surgery to correct the cataract on June 15, 2021.
A tailwheel endorsement was not required prior to April of 1991. Since privacy data omitted has been flying this tailwheel aircraft, N8700, since 1981, he is not required to have this endorsement. In light of the two ground loop incidents, inspector npm suggested that privacy data omitted stop flying until he has recovered from his cataract surgery and additionally, receive training from a certified flight instructor showing tailwheel competence including a tailwheel endorsement from that instructor. privacy data omitted Has agreed in an email to ?ground himself? Until he has recovered from cataract surgery and received further training including a tailwheel endorsement.
Inspector agw will follow up with privacy data omitted at the end of June 2021 to check on his progress.
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION OF INCIDENT AS REPORTED BY TOA ATCT: ON APRIL 28, 2021 TRAVELAIRE N8700 PILOTED BY PRIVATE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, LANDED ON RUNWAY 29R AT TOA, GROUND LOOPED AND HIT TAXIWAY SIGN H. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND DAMAGE EXTENT UNKNOWN.
CAUSAL AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: IN AN EMAIL TO INSPECTOR AGW, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT THE GROUND LOOP WAS DUE TO STRONG CROSS WINDS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL UPON LANDING.
INSPECTOR AGW HAD PREVIOUSLY SPOKEN WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IN MARCH FOR ANOTHER GROUND LOOP INCIDENT AT TOA. IN THAT CASE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DESCRIBED GETTING HIS SHOE CAUGHT IN THE RUDDER PEDALS, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL UPON LANDING.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION: INSPECTORS NPM AND AGW SPOKE WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ REGARDING THE INCIDENT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THAT AFTER THE GROUND LOOP INCIDENT, HE DISCOVERED HE HAD A CATARACT IN ONE EYE AND BELIEVES THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LANDING ISSUES. HE WILL BE HAVING SURGERY TO CORRECT THE CATARACT ON JUNE 15, 2021.
A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT WAS NOT REQUIRED PRIOR TO APRIL OF 1991. SINCE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAS BEEN FLYING THIS TAILWHEEL AIRCRAFT, N8700, SINCE 1981, HE IS NOT REQUIRED TO HAVE THIS ENDORSEMENT. IN LIGHT OF THE TWO GROUND LOOP INCIDENTS, INSPECTOR NPM SUGGESTED THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STOP FLYING UNTIL HE HAS RECOVERED FROM HIS CATARACT SURGERY AND ADDITIONALLY, RECEIVE TRAINING FROM A CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SHOWING TAILWHEEL COMPETENCE INCLUDING A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT FROM THAT INSTRUCTOR. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ HAS AGREED IN AN EMAIL TO ?GROUND HIMSELF? UNTIL HE HAS RECOVERED FROM CATARACT SURGERY AND RECEIVED FURTHER TRAINING INCLUDING A TAILWHEEL ENDORSEMENT.
INSPECTOR AGW WILL FOLLOW UP WITH ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AT THE END OF JUNE 2021 TO CHECK ON HIS PROGRESS.
Other reports on N8700 · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.