20230822021699A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Piper J4A · Cleburne, TX · August 22, 2023

Date: August 22, 2023 · 18:09 local
Place: Cleburne, TX
Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N6581H
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN23LA378
Reported as: Piper J4A
Reported engine: Continental C85 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 240 total43 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

N6581HRegistered now · Piper J4AS/N 4-831 · Built 1939 Airframe modelPiper J4A Engine modelContinental C85 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.

This part 91 flight terminated with an attempted wheel landing during windy conditions. The pilot reported upon landing, a gust of wind caused the tail of the aircraft to raise up, causing the aircraft to nose over on its back. Witness reports included statements that this pilot had ground looped this aircraft on several occasions. The reported winds were not strong enough for this aircraft to flip over with out excessive braking to have been applied.

As the FAA filed it

THIS PART 91 FLIGHT TERMINATED WITH AN ATTEMPTED WHEEL LANDING DURING WINDY CONDITIONS. THE PILOT REPORTED UPON LANDING, A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT TO RAISE UP, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO NOSE OVER ON ITS BACK. WITNESS REPORTS INCLUDED STATEMENTS THAT THIS PILOT HAD GROUND LOOPED THIS AIRCRAFT ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE REPORTED WINDS WERE NOT STRONG ENOUGH FOR THIS AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER WITH OUT EXCESSIVE BRAKING TO HAVE BEEN APPLIED.

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 CEN23LA378Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportCleburne, TXThe pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusty crosswind conditions.Aug 22, 2023 · Substantial damage