- Date
- September 1, 2012, 09:15 local (14:15 UTC)
- Place
- Lancaster, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4431FCessna L-19E
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 31, 2013
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Dallas FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120901028129A
- Case key
- 84965
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 failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.
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
The pilot reported that he landed the tailwheel-equipped airplane on the main wheels and upon slowing to about 20 mph, lowered the tailwheel to the runway. The airplane veered to the right, and the pilot attempted to control the direction by applying the left brake. He “overcorrected” to the left, and the airplane ground looped and veered off the left side of the runway. The inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot stated that he should have added power to maintain directional control as soon as the turn started. He reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that he landed the tailwheel equipped airplane on the main wheels and upon slowing to about 20 mph, lowered the tailwheel to the runway. The airplane veered to the right, and the pilot attempted to control the direction by applying the left brake. He “overcorrected” to the left, and the airplane ground looped and veered off the left side of the runway. The inspection of the airplane revealed substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot stated that he should have maintained directional control by adding power instead of applying the left brake. He reported that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure of the airplane prior to the ground loop.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4431F
- Reported as
- Cessna L-19E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 24562
- Airframe hours
- 6,851
- Engine
- Continental O-470-11, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Brian I. Hague
- Registered owner
- Brian I. Hague
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 8, 2011
- Departed
- T82 · Fredericksburg, TX
- Destination
- LNC · Lancaster, TX
- Airport
- LNC · Lancaster Regional Airport, runway 13, 6,502 × 100 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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 2,613 total · 409 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 210° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- LNC, 5 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 6, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 902 KB 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.