- Date
- June 2, 2002, 13:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Goodland, KS
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- NC662YWaco ASO
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 54833
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
Failure of the tailwheel assembly after touchdown that resulted in loss of airplane directional control, which the pilot could not correct. A contributing factor was the improper assembly of the tailwheel.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane was substantially damaged when it veered off the runway during landing. The pilot reported that when the tailwheel touched down, the airplane started to shake and bang and turn left. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and the right lower wing contacted a dirt mound breaking the wing spars. A postaccident teardown of the tailwheel assembly by the manufacturer determined that the tailwheel was not assembled according to the manufacturer's specifications. The teardown inspection determined that the tailwheel "would not function properly because it was incorrectly assembled."
Factual narrative
On June 2, 2002, at 1330 central daylight time, a Waco ASO, NC662Y, piloted by an airline transport pilot, was substantially damaged during landing when it veered off runway 23 (3,501 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) at the Renner Field-Goodland Municipal Airport (GLD), Goodland, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The flight originated from the Pratt Industrial Airport, Pratt, Kansas at 1015 and was en route to GLD.
The pilot stated in a written statement, "At tailwheel touchdown aircraft immediately began shaking, banging, and turning to the left. As aircraft slowed the left turning force could not be stopped, even with full right rudder and brake. The aircraft departed the left side of the runway, still turning left. The right lower wing struck a small mound along the side of the runway breaking the spruce wing spars."
The pilot made multiple landings without incident on the same day prior to the accident.
The pilot reported a total time in the accident airplane make and model of 14 hours.
A postaccident teardown of the tailwheel assembly by the manufacturer determined that the tailwheel was not assembled according to the manufacturer’s specifications. The teardown inspection determined that the tailwheel “would not function properly because it was incorrectly assembled.”
Aircraft
- Registration
- NC662Y
- Reported as
- Waco ASO
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3228
- Airframe hours
- 1,091
- Engine
- Wright R-760-8, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David K. Allen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 22, 2002 · 13 hours before
- Departed
- PTT · Pratt, KS
- Destination
- GLD · Goodland, KS
- Airport
- GLD · Renner Fld /Goodland Municipal, runway 23, 3,501 × 75 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight engineer, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- May 1, 2001
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 15,000 total · 14 in this make and model · 11,000 as pilot in command · 179 in the last 90 days · 58 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 95 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 26.68 inHg
- Observed at
- KGLD
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 9, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 730 KB in all.