20210728019929A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · North American AT-6F · Adrian, MI · July 28, 2021

Date: July 28, 2021 · 11:30 local
Place: Adrian, MI
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6601C
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN21LA352
Reported as: North American AT-6F
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R1340 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,266 total14 in this make and model41 in the last 90 days

N6601CRegistered now · North American AT-6FS/N 121-42479 · Built 1957 Airframe modelNorth American AT-6F Engine modelPratt & Whitney R1340 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

From the pilot: the landing was a normal centerline wheel landing. After the tailwheel settled the aircraft started tracking left. I applied increasing right rudder attempting to arrest the left track. Full rudder had no effect, I then applied right differential steering and corrected the left track, as aircraft moved to centerline, I attempted to arrest the right track with full left rudder and then by applying full left brake. The aircraft skidded 75?to 100? On the centerline before veering to the right. Approximately 15 ft from the runway edge the left gear collapsed from the side loading the inertia completed the ground loop.

As the FAA filed it

FROM THE PILOT: THE LANDING WAS A NORMAL CENTERLINE WHEEL LANDING. AFTER THE TAILWHEEL SETTLED THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TRACKING LEFT. I APPLIED INCREASING RIGHT RUDDER ATTEMPTING TO ARREST THE LEFT TRACK. FULL RUDDER HAD NO EFFECT, I THEN APPLIED RIGHT DIFFERENTIAL STEERING AND CORRECTED THE LEFT TRACK, AS AIRCRAFT MOVED TO CENTERLINE, I ATTEMPTED TO ARREST THE RIGHT TRACK WITH FULL LEFT RUDDER AND THEN BY APPLYING FULL LEFT BRAKE. THE AIRCRAFT SKIDDED 75?TO 100? ON THE CENTERLINE BEFORE VEERING TO THE RIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 15 FT FROM THE RUNWAY EDGE THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED FROM THE SIDE LOADING THE INERTIA COMPLETED THE GROUND LOOP.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN21LA352Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportAdrian, MIThe loss of control during landing due to the out of rig condition of the tailwheel which resulted in a ground loop and impact with the runway.Jul 28, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N6601C · 2

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20260129004339ILanding: Touchdown · Arcadia, FLAircraft right main landing gear collapsed after landing and short taxi off runway and into grass.Jan 29, 2026 · Minor damage Incident 19950816024119IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Lambertville, MILanding gear collapsed on landing roll. Inspection pending.Aug 16, 1995 · Minor damage