# NTSB CEN10CA488: Tubbs S/Performance Air PA18-225, N755K, Denver, CO, August 20, 2010 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 20, 2010, 10:40 local (16:40 UTC) - Place: Denver, CO - Coordinates: 39.568611, -104.842781 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.5686&lon=-104.8428&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report January 7, 2011 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: DEN FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 77024 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN10CA488 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/77024/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77024 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10CA488 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Tubbs S/Performance Air PA18-225, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=0561857), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Tubbs S/Performance Air PA18-225, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=0561857), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Tubbs S/Performance Air PA18-225, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=0561857), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that the tailwheel on her single-engine airplane had just undergone maintenance to alleviate a shimmy and was told to practice some touch-and-go landings to see if the problem had been alleviated. The pilot did several landings and said the shimmy had improved but was not completely gone. However, on the sixth landing, the pilot landed on the tailwheel, which resulted in an "extreme and violent" shimmy. The airplane veered to the right and the pilot tried to correct for it by applying pressure to just one brake. The airplane continued to veer off the runway, so the pilot applied both brakes and the airplane flipped over, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing strut and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical problems and that the accident could have been prevented if she kept the airplane on the runway. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that the tail wheel on her single-engine airplane had just undergone maintenance to alleviate a shimmy and was told to go practice some touch and go landings to see if the problem had been alleviated. The pilot did several landings and said the shimmy had improved but was not completely gone. However, on the sixth landing, the pilot landed on the tail wheel which resulted in an "extreme and violent" shimmy. The airplane veered to the right and the pilot tried to correct for it by applying pressure to just one brake. The airplane continued to veer off the runway, so the pilot applied both brakes and the airplane flipped over resulting in substantial damage to the right wing strut and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical problems and the accident could have been prevented if she kept the airplane on the runway. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N755K](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N755K), registered now, S/N PA 0105, built 2005 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TUBBS S/PERFORMANCE AIR INC PA18-225 - Registry model: [Tubbs S/Performance Air PA18-225](https://openairdocs.org/model/tubbs-s-performance-air-pa18-225) (registry code 0561857) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming O-360-C4P](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-360-c4p) (registry code 42289, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: PA 0105 - Engines: LYCOMING O-360 SERIES 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Rinah Levine - Registered owner: Echo Valley Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: APA, Denver, CO - Destination: APA, Denver, CO - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: APA, Centennial, runway 17R ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; flight hours: 700 total, 30 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20100820042469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100820042469A), Aug 20, 2010: Tubbs S/Per PA18-225, Englewood, CO, Substantial damage. 08\20\2010 1625Z aircraft N755K was operating in the traffic pattern at Centennial Airport, Englewood, CO (kapa). The weather reported at the time was: apa sa… ## Other investigations on N755K (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB GAA19CA211](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA211), Apr 16, 2019: Tubbs S/Performance Air PA-18-225 (N755K), Denver, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground-loop. ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2010, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=77024. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40336578&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.