What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Description of the deviation:
While operating a Hatz Classic experimental biplane on a VFR flight plan and upon landing on rwy 16 at the Ennis, MT airport (keks) the pilot in command lost control of the aircraft after touch down resulting in a ground loop with substantial damage to the left wing and propeller of the aircraft.
Causaul and/or contributing factors:
The pilot stated that he had completed a touch and go, came back around and landed, with no issues. After ground taxiing to the end of the runway to make a turn onto an unimproved taxiway to his hangar, the pilot stated “I slowed down, started to make the left turn and it just came around on me“.
The pilot had recently purchased the airplane, and though he had recent experience and a lot of tailwheel time, he had only approximately 5 hours of flight time and less than 5 landings in the accident aircraft.
No ATC actions contributory to the event.
No recommendations for systemic corrective action.
Action taken to correct problem and prevent reoccurance:
Compliance action – counseling. The pilot was counseled on the common tendancies
Of conventional gear aircraft and the effects of wind on take-off, landing and ground operations in these aircraft.
Sas id: NM05202400356
As the FAA filed it
DESCRIPTION OF THE DEVIATION:
WHILE OPERATING A HATZ CLASSIC EXPERIMENTAL BIPLANE ON A VFR FLIGHT PLAN AND UPON LANDING ON RWY 16 AT THE ENNIS, MT AIRPORT (KEKS) THE PILOT IN COMMAND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER TOUCH DOWN RESULTING IN A GROUND LOOP WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE LEFT WING AND PROPELLER OF THE AIRCRAFT.
CAUSAUL AND/OR CONTRIBUTING FACTORS:
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED A TOUCH AND GO, CAME BACK AROUND AND LANDED, WITH NO ISSUES. AFTER GROUND TAXIING TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY TO MAKE A TURN ONTO AN UNIMPROVED TAXIWAY TO HIS HANGAR, THE PILOT STATED “I SLOWED DOWN, STARTED TO MAKE THE LEFT TURN AND IT JUST CAME AROUND ON ME“.
THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE, AND THOUGH HE HAD RECENT EXPERIENCE AND A LOT OF TAILWHEEL TIME, HE HAD ONLY APPROXIMATELY 5 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME AND LESS THAN 5 LANDINGS IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.
NO ATC ACTIONS CONTRIBUTORY TO THE EVENT.
NO RECOMMENDATIONS FOR SYSTEMIC CORRECTIVE ACTION.
ACTION TAKEN TO CORRECT PROBLEM AND PREVENT REOCCURANCE:
COMPLIANCE ACTION – COUNSELING. THE PILOT WAS COUNSELED ON THE COMMON TENDANCIES
OF CONVENTIONAL GEAR AIRCRAFT AND THE EFFECTS OF WIND ON TAKE-OFF, LANDING AND GROUND OPERATIONS IN THESE AIRCRAFT.
SAS ID: NM05202400356
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.