# NTSB CEN23LA235: North American T-6G, N16JV, Colorado Springs, CO, June 9, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: June 9, 2023, 12:03 local (18:03 UTC) - Place: Colorado Springs, CO · Runway 17R - Coordinates: 38.811336, -104.71548 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8113&lon=-104.7155&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 - NTSB case key (mKey): 192344 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA235 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192344/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192344 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA235 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain 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 T-6G, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=6400432), [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 T-6G, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=6400432), [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 T-6G, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=6400432), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [North American T-6G, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=6400432), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [North American T-6G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=6400432), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) ## Analysis During landing, the tailwheel equipped airplane drifted left of the runway centerline. The pilot applied right rudder and began transitioning the tail down when the airplane began a ground loop to the right. The airplane exited the runway, which resulted in separation of the left main landing gear and substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that there were thunderstorms in the vicinity of the airport at the time of the accident. He added that a better understanding of wind shear may have assisted in preventing the loss of control. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N16JV](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16JV), registered now, S/N 49-3155, built 1949 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN T-6G - Registry model: [North American T-6G](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-t-6g) (registry code 6400432) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 49-3155 - Year built: 1949 - Airframe hours: 9157 - Engines: Pratt & Whitney R-1340-AN-1 600 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Greatest Generation Naval Museum, doing business as N/A - Registered owner: Greatest Generation Naval Museum - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, November 12, 2022 - Departed: COS, Colorado Springs, CO - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: COS, City Of Colorado Springs Muni, runway 17R, 11,022 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Handheld GPS, Onboard weather, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 12, 2022; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 346 total, 41 in this make and model, 158 as pilot in command, 9 in the last 90 days, 4 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Turbulence: Moderate - Observed at: KCOS, 1 nm away - METAR: KCOS 091842Z VRB05KT 10SM VCTS SCT100CB BKN200 BKN250 24/06 A3010 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT N OCNL LTGICCG VC W TS VC W MOV NE T02390061 ## 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 20230609007469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230609007469A), Jun 9, 2023: North American T-6G, Colorado Spring, CO, Substantial damage. On June 9, 2023, the incident aircraft departed the City Of Colorado Springs Municipal Airport (cos) on a local flight with 1 crewmember and 1 passenger. Local… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192344. 4.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15905686&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Form._Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photo array (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15905349&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.