# Incident 20210428007369I: Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000, Torrance, April 28, 2021 - Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 28, 2021, 12:47 local time - Place: Torrance - Damage: Minor damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Aircraft: N8700, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8700) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 (registry code 2621802, https://openairdocs.org/model/curtiss-wright-travel-air-4000) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental W670 series (registry code 17018, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-w670-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CURTISS WRIGHT TRAVEL AIR 4000 - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR W670 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Private pilot - Pilot flight hours: 2,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210428007369I ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 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. - [Incident 20210313005669I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20210313005669I), Mar 13, 2021: Curtiss Wright TRAVEL AIR 4000 (N8700), Torrance, CA, Minor damage. N8700 landed rwy 29L and was attempting to exit the rwy at taxiway foxtrot when the aircraft started an uncontrolled left turn. The aircraft came to a stop… - [Accident 20091129022169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20091129022169A), Nov 29, 2009: Curtis TRVAIR4000 (N8700), Torrance, CA, Minor damage. The pilot of the travelair, N8700, stated he was taxiing from his hangar, 2781-B, at the east t-hangars to refuel his aircraft with no intention to fly. He was… - [Incident 19850426022259I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850426022259I), Apr 26, 1985: Curtis TRVAIR4000 (N8700), El Toro, CA, Minor damage. Aircraft was NR3 in flight of three instructed to hold short after landing. No radio and collided with NR2. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.