- Date
- August 31, 2012, 07:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Council Bluffs, IA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N244GRNorth American AT-6F
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 19, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Des Moines FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120831022329A
- Case key
- 84937
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
An unlocking of the excessively worn tailwheel lock mechanism, which resulted in a loss of directional control during landing.
Findings · 2
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
Immediately after liftoff, the flight instructor simulated an engine failure, and the pilot executed a rejected takeoff, landing on the remaining runway. When the tailwheel contacted the runway, it began to "shimmy violently and disengaged the steering pin." The airplane veered to the left, and the pilot was unable to stop the veer using the right rudder and brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway while moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. An examination of the tailwheel mechanism showed excessive wear in both the locking collar hole and the drag links in the tailwheel assembly. It was likely that the locking pin had become retracted from the locking collar on the tailwheel at some time during the takeoff or during the landing. Both pilots stated that they had locked the mechanism before takeoff and had good directional control of the airplane during the takeoff run.
Factual narrative
Immediately after liftoff the flight instructor simulated an engine failure and the pilot executed a rejected takeoff, landing on the runway remaining. When the tailwheel contacted the runway it began to "shimmy violently and disengaged the steering pin." The airplane veered to the left and the pilot was unable to stop the veer using right rudder and brake. The airplane exited the left side of the runway moving sideways to the right. The right main landing gear collapsed causing substantial damage to the right wing. An examination of the tailwheel mechanism showed excessive wear in both the locking collar hole and the drag links in the tailwheel assembly. Both pilots stated that they had locked the mechanism before takeoff and had good directional control of the airplane during the takeoff run.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N244GR
- Reported as
- North American AT-6F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 121-42642
- Airframe hours
- 2,800
- Engine
- P&W R1340-AN1, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 23, 2012
- Departed
- CBF · Council Bluffs, IA
- Destination
- CBF · Council Bluffs, IA
- Airport
- CBF · Council Bluffs Municipal, runway 18, 5,500 × 100 ft, concrete
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 12, 2011
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 735 total · 4 in this make and model · 670 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 58
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 1 total · 1 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KCBF
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 25, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.