- Date
- July 7, 2009, 19:47 local (Jul 8, 2009, 00:47 UTC)
- Place
- Springfield, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N18BTPitts S-2A
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-Springfield FSDO
- Case key
- 74228
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control while landing due to the unintentional obstruction of the rudder by the passenger.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that he was landing the tail wheel equipped airplane when the accident happened. He stated that the airplane touched down on one main wheel first and the airplane shifted and rapidly turned right. He stated that the airplane's movement resulted in his passenger's body shifting to the left against the left rudder/brake pedal. The rear seat rudder pedals are located near the front seat occupant's hips. The pilot stated that he attempted to correct with left rudder, but was unable due to the obstruction of the rudder pedal by the front seat passenger's body. The airplane subsequently ground looped. The damage to the airplane included collapse of the main landing gear, damage to the left lower wing, and damage to the upper wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he was landing the tail wheel airplane when the accident happened. He stated that the airplane touched down on one main wheel first and the airplane shifted and rapidly turned right. He stated that the airplane's movement resulted in his passenger's body shifting to the left against the left rudder/brake pedal. The rear seat rudder pedals are located near the front seat occupant's hips. The pilot stated that he attempted to correct with left rudder, but was unable due to the obstruction of the rudder pedal by the front seat passenger's body. The airplane subsequently ground looped. The damage to the airplane included collapse of the main landing gear, damage to the left lower wing, and damage to the upper wing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N18BT
- Reported as
- Pitts S-2A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2221
- Airframe hours
- 2,590
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360 SER, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 1, 2009
- Departed
- SPI · Springfield, IL
- Destination
- SPI · Springfield, IL
- Airport
- SPI · Abraham Lincoln Capital Airpor, runway 31, 7,400 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 1, 2009
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 3,500 total · 450 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.85 inHg
- Observed at
- SPI
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 678 KB in all.