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Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Cub Crafters CC18-180 · US Air Force Ac, CO · March 2, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

Date
March 2, 2023 · 15:00 local
Place
US Air Force Ac, CO
Airport
Usaf Academy Afld
Phase of flight
Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N471AK
Reported as
Cub Crafters CC18-180
Reported engine
Lycoming O-360-C1G
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
9,535 total21 in this make and model78 in the last 90 days
N471AKRegistered now · Cub Crafters CC18-180S/N CC18-0090 · Built 2018Airframe modelCub Crafters CC18-180Engine modelLycoming O-360-C1GReciprocating

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.

On March 02, 2023 at approximately 1500 MST, the pilot failed to maintain directional control immediately after landing and exited the left side of runway 34R. The pilot stated that he experienced a quartering tailwind from the south while aloft, but didn’t correct enough and then overcompensated on the ground which resulted in a ‘ground loop’. The pilot had completed his sixth ‘glider tow’ operation of the day under CFR part 91 and was intending to perform more. The flights were made under VFR conditions with light, but shifting winds. Winds at the time were 240 at 7 knots per METAR. There were no passengers onboard and no injuries to the pilot. The aircraft sustained minor damage to the left outboard wing and left aileron. The aircraft was removed from the runway and is currently undergoing repairs. The pilot stated he was experienced with flying in the local area and familiar with changing weather patterns. He admitted that glider towing and the make/model of aircraft was relatively new to him: having 21 hours in this make and model and 93 hours in aircraft with conventional landing gear (tail draggers). The NTSB did not classify this as an accident.

As the FAA filed it

ON MARCH 02, 2023 AT APPROXIMATELY 1500 MST, THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL IMMEDIATELY AFTER LANDING AND EXITED THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY 34R. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED A QUARTERING TAILWIND FROM THE SOUTH WHILE ALOFT, BUT DIDN’T CORRECT ENOUGH AND THEN OVERCOMPENSATED ON THE GROUND WHICH RESULTED IN A ‘GROUND LOOP’. THE PILOT HAD COMPLETED HIS SIXTH ‘GLIDER TOW’ OPERATION OF THE DAY UNDER CFR PART 91 AND WAS INTENDING TO PERFORM MORE. THE FLIGHTS WERE MADE UNDER VFR CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT, BUT SHIFTING WINDS. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE 240 AT 7 KNOTS PER METAR. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ONBOARD AND NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LEFT OUTBOARD WING AND LEFT AILERON. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY AND IS CURRENTLY UNDERGOING REPAIRS. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS EXPERIENCED WITH FLYING IN THE LOCAL AREA AND FAMILIAR WITH CHANGING WEATHER PATTERNS. HE ADMITTED THAT GLIDER TOWING AND THE MAKE/MODEL OF AIRCRAFT WAS RELATIVELY NEW TO HIM: HAVING 21 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AND 93 HOURS IN AIRCRAFT WITH CONVENTIONAL LANDING GEAR (TAIL DRAGGERS). THE NTSB DID NOT CLASSIFY THIS AS AN ACCIDENT.