20230603011529A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Champion 7KCAB · Rutherfordton, NC · June 3, 2023

Date: June 3, 2023 · 13:00 local
Place: Rutherfordton, NC
Airport: Rutherford Co - Marchman Field
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N5068X
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN23LA230
Reported as: Champion 7KCAB
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 16,606 total30 in this make and model82 in the last 90 days

N5068XRegistered now · Champion 7KCABS/N 151 · Built 1968 Airframe modelChampion 7KCAB Engine modelLycoming 0-320 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.

After touch down on rwy 1 at Rutherfordton, NC (fqd), a/c privacy data omittedpilot stated that the tail wheel immediately began to shimmy and a/c veered right. Pilot attempted to compensate with full rudder and initated hard braking (heel brakes) to stop a/c from departing the right side of the rwy. Skid marks on rwy indicate right main locked up first. Hard braking caused the tail of the a/c to elevate resulting in the propeller (3 witness marks), the lower engine cowling, and the left main wheel cover all contacting the rwy surface. When fwd movement ceased, the tail came back down striking the rwy causing damage to the tail wheel assy & significant damage to the lower portion of the rudder. 2 POB. No injuries.

Task # T-EA68-FY23-1494

As the FAA filed it

AFTER TOUCH DOWN ON RWY 1 AT RUTHERFORDTON, NC (FQD), A/C ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT STATED THAT THE TAIL WHEEL IMMEDIATELY BEGAN TO SHIMMY AND A/C VEERED RIGHT. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO COMPENSATE WITH FULL RUDDER AND INITATED HARD BRAKING (HEEL BRAKES) TO STOP A/C FROM DEPARTING THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY. SKID MARKS ON RWY INDICATE RIGHT MAIN LOCKED UP FIRST. HARD BRAKING CAUSED THE TAIL OF THE A/C TO ELEVATE RESULTING IN THE PROPELLER (3 WITNESS MARKS), THE LOWER ENGINE COWLING, AND THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL COVER ALL CONTACTING THE RWY SURFACE. WHEN FWD MOVEMENT CEASED, THE TAIL CAME BACK DOWN STRIKING THE RWY CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE TAIL WHEEL ASSY & SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE RUDDER. 2 POB. NO INJURIES.

TASK # T-EA68-FY23-1494

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 CEN23LA230Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportRutherfordton, NCThe disengagement of the tailwheel locking mechanism during the landing roll which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing with a crosswind.Jun 3, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N5068X · 1

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

Incident 20081218853429ILanding · Shallowater, TXThe pilot landed on a grass runway of approximately 150 degrees direction with a right quartering headwind. During rollout on this landing the aircraft exited the runway to the right. The runway has a slightly raised center portion in order to shed rain…Dec 18, 2008 · Minor damage