- Date
- May 20, 2003, 16:25 local (21:25 UTC)
- Place
- North Platte, NE
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7855Grumman G-164A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA - Lincoln, Nebraska FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030520009519A
- Case key
- 57040
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 and the collapse of the main landing gear. A factor to the accident was the quartering tailwind.
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 ground looped during landing. According to the pilot, at his last point of departure the airplane experienced a "severe pulling" to the right during landing. The pilot stated that he had a mechanic check the brakes and that the mechanic found no discrepencies. The pilot subsequently continued with his flight. According to the pilot, while on landing roll the airplane pulled sharply to the right again. The pilot said that he was unable to correct and the airplane subsequently ran off the runway and ground looped. During the accident sequence, the main landing gear collapsed. An examination of the brake system and tail wheel assembly revealed no anomalies or malfunctions. The winds were 6 knots and 120 degrees right of runway heading.
Factual narrative
On May 20, 2003, at 1625 central daylight time, a Grumman G-164A, N7855, received substantial damage during a ground loop while landing on runway 35 (4,436 feet by 100 feet, asphalt) at the North Platte Regional Airport (KLBF), North Platte, Nebraska. The pilot reported no injuries. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight departed Central City Airport (07K), Central City, Nebraska, at 1500 without a flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
According to the pilot, at his last point of departure, the aircraft experienced a "severe pulling" to the right during landing. He stated he had a mechanic inspect the airplane and the mechanic found no discrepencies. The pilot reported that, while on landing roll at LBF, the aircraft pulled sharply to the right again. The pilot stated he was unable to rectify the situation and went off the runway. The airplane subsequently ground looped and the main landing gear collapsed.
The pilot reported a total time of 1,030.5 hours, of which 16 hours were in the same make and model as the accident airplane. All 16 hours were in the last 30 days.
The Federal Aviation Administration examined the brake system and tail wheel assembly and reported no anomalies or malfunctions.
The weather reporting station at the accident airport recorded the winds at 1553 as 6 knots at 110 degrees. At 1653 the winds were reported at the accident airport at 080 degrees at 6 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7855
- Reported as
- Grumman G-164A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 803
- Airframe hours
- 3,000
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney R-985, 450 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David Sheppard
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2003 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- 07K · Central City, NE
- Destination
- Unknown
- Airport
- KLBF · North Platte Regional Field, runway 35, 4,436 × 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
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 1,031 total · 16 in this make and model · 970 as pilot in command · 204 in the last 90 days · 143 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.38 inHg
- Observed at
- LBF
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7855 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.