# NTSB CHI04CA240: Stinson V77, N15JH, Howell, MI, August 22, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 22, 2004, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC) - Place: Howell, MI - Coordinates: 42.629444, -83.984169 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.6294&lon=-83.9842&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 28, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-Detroit, MI FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 60025 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI04CA240 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/60025/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI04CA240 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain directional control which resulted in a ground loop. A factor was the pilot's lack of familiarity with the airplane. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The tailwheel equipped airplane sustained substantial damage when it veered off runway 13. The reported wind was 200 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported that he entered and flew a normal traffic pattern for runway 13. He reported that he did a normal wheel landing on the centerline with the right wing down and opposite rudder to compensate for the right crosswind. When the tailwheel contacted the runway, the airplane immediately veered to the left. He applied full right rudder and right brake but the airplane veered off the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that he taxied the airplane back to the ramp. The inspection of the airplane revealed the tailwheel was free to castor, as designed. The pilot reported he had 12,113 total hours of flight time of which approximately 8,000 hours were in tailwheel equipped airplanes. He reported he had flown 3.3 hours in the Stinson V77. ## Factual narrative On August 22, 2004, at 0830 eastern daylight time, a Stinson V77, N15JH, sustained substantial damage when it veered off runway 13 (4,300 feet by 75 feet, asphalt) during landing at the Livingston County Airport (OZW), Howell, Michigan. The pilot was not injured. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight departed Willow Run Airport (YIP), Ypsilanti, Michigan, about 0800. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. No flight plan was filed. The reported wind at OZW was 200 degrees at 10 knots. The pilot reported that he entered and flew a normal traffic pattern for runway 13. He did a normal wheel landing on the centerline with the right wing down and opposite rudder to compensate for the right crosswind. He reported that when the tailwheel contacted the runway, the airplane immediately veered to the left. The pilot reported he applied full right rudder and right brake but the airplane veered off the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that he taxied the airplane back to the ramp. The inspection of the airplane revealed the tailwheel was free to castor, as designed. The pilot reported he had 12,113 total hours of flight time of which approximately 8,000 hours were in tailwheel equipped airplanes. He reported he had flown 3.3 hours in the Stinson V77. ## Aircraft - Registration: N15JH (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Stinson V77 - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 77-452 - Engines: Lycoming R-630-13 reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Yankee Air Force Inc. - Registered owner: Yankee Air Force Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: YIP, Ypsilanti, MI - Destination: OZW, Howell, MI ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor, commercial, flight engineer; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1; flight hours: 12,113 total, 3 in this make and model, 127 in the last 90 days, 57 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day ## 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 20040822022489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040822022489A), Aug 22, 2004: Stnson V77, Howell, MI, Substantial damage. (-23) After landing, when tail wheel touched down the acft went hard right. The pilot was unable to keep the acft on the runway. 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.