- Date
- September 18, 2021, 13:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Topeka, KS · Runway 31 at TOP
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N140RCessna 305A
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA Wichita FSDO
- FAA report
- 20210918017099A
- Case key
- 103952
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 loss of control and ground loop due to the mechanical malfunction of the tailwheel lock.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he conducted several takeoff and landings before the accident that day, at a different airport, all without incident. During the accident landing, the airplane touched down, veered left, and the pilot attempted to correct with right rudder. Subsequently, the airplane exited the runway, the tail veered to the left, and the airplane “rocked” left. The left wing and left elevator impacted the ground resulting in substantial damage. The airplane came to rest upright on the main landing gear and the pilot was able to taxi the airplane to parking without further incident. A witness reported seeing the tailwheel rotating after takeoff. An examination revealed that the tailwheel locking mechanism did not function.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N140R
- Reported as
- Cessna 305A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22834
- Built
- 1951
- Engine
- Continental Motors O-470 Series, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FLV · Fort Leavenworth, KS
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- TOP · Philip Billard Muni, runway 13/31, 5,099 × 100 ft, concrete
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B
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
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 3, 2020
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,400 total · 5 in this make and model · 3,200 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KTOP, 1 nm away
- METAR
- KTOP 181753Z 20003KT 10SM CLR 29/20 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP198 T02940200 10300 20172 58012
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 4, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 17.4 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.