ATL94LA109

The pilot lost directional control and ground looped the airplane during a landing rollout. According to the pilot, he encoundered a crosswind after touchdown which caused the airplane to weather vane. No aircraft mechanical problems were reported by the pilot.

On May 29, 1994, at 1415 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22\20, N1665A, ground looped on runway 02 at the First Flight Airport, Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. The personal flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage; the pilot and three passengers were not injured. The flight departed Chesapeake, Virginia, at 1345 hours.

Upon arriving at Kill Devil Hills, the pilot noticed that the prevailing winds crossed the runway at a 90 degree angle; He established a traffic pattern for runway 02. According to the pilot, during the initial rollout the tailwheel was held off the runway. When he lowered the tailwheel, he lost control of the airplane as the nose of the airplane turned into the crosswind (see attached pilot/operator aircraft accident report). The prevailing winds were out of the southeast at fifteen knots. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.