# NTSB CEN22LA101: North American AT-6C, N16JG, San Antonio, TX, January 16, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: January 16, 2022, 09:20 local (15:20 UTC) - Place: San Antonio, TX - Coordinates: 29.336981, -98.471044 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.3370&lon=-98.4710&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: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA - FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 104532 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN22LA101 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/104532/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104532 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA101 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of directional control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [North American AT-6C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=6400412), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [North American AT-6C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=6400412), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/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: [North American AT-6C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=6400412), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he was starting a formation flying clinic and that the purpose of the flight was to gain familiarization and proficiency in the airplane. After completing a flight in the local area, he returned to demonstrate several wheel landings. The landing touchdown was normal; however, the pilot lowered the tailwheel to the runway at a higher speed than usual. To reduce the load on the tailwheel, he reduced the back pressure on the control stick. The airplane started to drift to the right and his efforts to regain control were not successful. The airplane subsequently departed the right side of the runway into “relatively softer ground” adjacent to the runway. The left main landing gear “folded inboard at the oleo strut and the left wing contacted the ground.” The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane before the accident. He noted that holding the control stick at the aft limit until the landing was complete might have prevented the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N16JG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16JG), registered now, S/N 26912, built 1942 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN AT-6C - Registry model: [North American AT-6C](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-at-6c) (registry code 6400412) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 26912 - Year built: 1942 - Airframe hours: 7670 - Engines: P&W R1340-AN1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 9, 2021, 10 hours before - Departed: SSF, San Antonio, TX - Airport: SSF, Stinson Municipal, runway 32, 4,128 × 100 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 67; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review April 2, 2021; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 17,347 total, 25 in this make and model, 7,774 as pilot in command, 24 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 14 °F - Altimeter: 30.24 inHg - Observed at: KSSF - METAR: SPECI KSSF 161541Z VRB05KT 10SM CLR 08/M10 A3024 ## 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 20220116000699A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220116000699A), Jan 16, 2022: North American AT-6C, Stinson, TX, Substantial damage. On January 16, 2022, 0923 CST, a North American aviation AT-6C aircraft landed at Stinson Municipal (ssf), runway 32. Weather was clear and winds light. Upon… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 9, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104532. 10.4 MB in all. - Pilot aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 5.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13178747&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20--%20CEN22LA101_pilot_redacted-Rel.pdf - Operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 3.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13200194&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Accident%20Report%20--%20CEN22LA101_owner-Rel.pdf - Passenger's statement (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 173 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13177988&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Email%20--%20Pilot_rated_pax%20--%2027Jan2022_redacted-Rel.pdf - Accident photos (item 4, PDF, 4 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=13178121&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photos%20--%20CEN22LA101-Rel.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.