# NTSB CHI05CA101: Piper PA-22-160, N9332D, Gordon, NE, April 19, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 18, 2005, 18:30 local (Apr 19, 2005, 00:30 UTC) - Place: Gordon, NE - Coordinates: 42.80611, -102.175277 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8061&lon=-102.1753&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 7, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Lincoln FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 61427 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI05CA101 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61427/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI05CA101 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain direction control during landing. The pilot lack of familiarity with the airplane was a factor. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - lack of familiarity with aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor) - directional control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The airplane ground-looped during landing. The pilot reported that he wanted to fly his recently purchased airplane "because the weather was calm." The pilot stated, "Although my instructor would not approve I [chose] to fly anyway." The pilot reported that he departed on runway 04 and entered the traffic pattern for runway 11. The pilot stated that during his second landing he "ground looped" the airplane. The airplane had been converted from a tricycle landing gear into a conventional (tailwheel) airplane. The pilot reported the winds were from 110 degrees magnetic at 5 knots. Federal Aviation Administration records show that the pilot was issued a student pilot certificate on February 13, 2003. Student pilot certificates are valid for 24-calendar months. The pilot did not have an instructor endorsement for the accident airplane make and model. The pilot reported that he had 2.0 hours in the accident airplane. ## Factual narrative On April 18, 2005, at 1830 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-160, piloted by a student pilot, was substantially damaged when it ground-looped while landing on runway 11 (2,284 feet by 50 feet, asphalt) at the Gordon Municipal Airport, Gordon, Nebraska. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The local area flight departed around 1745. The pilot reported that he wanted to fly his recently purchased airplane "because the weather was calm." The pilot stated, "Although my instructor would not approve I [chose] to fly anyway." The airplane had been converted from a tricycle landing gear into a conventional (tailwheel) airplane. The pilot reported that he departed on runway 04 and entered the traffic pattern for runway 11. The pilot stated that during his second landing he "ground looped" the airplane. The pilot reported the winds were from 110 degrees magnetic at 5 knots. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records show that the pilot was issued his student pilot certificate on February 13, 2003. Student pilot certificates are valid for 24-calendar months. The pilot did not have an instructor endorsement for the accident airplane make and model. The pilot reported that he had 2.0 hours in the accident airplane. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9332D](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9332D), registered now, S/N 22-6352, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-22-160 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-160](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-160) (registry code 7102214) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-6352 - Airframe hours: 3500 - Engines: Lycoming O-320 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 1, 2005 - Departed: GRN, Gordon, NE - Destination: GRN, Gordon, NE - Airport: GRN, Gordon Municipal Airport, runway 11, 2,284 × 50 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Student pilot; age 32; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 70 total, 2 in this make and model, 20 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 90 days, 5 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 30° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.63 inHg - Observed at: IEN, 20 nm away ## 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 20050418005149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050418005149A), Apr 18, 2005: Piper PA22160, Gordon, NE, Substantial damage. (-23) Student pilot flying his personal plane without instructor supervision lost control of aircraft upon landing and ground looped to the right. Damage… ## Other investigations on N9332D (1) 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. - [NTSB SEA03LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA03LA188), Sep 10, 2003: Piper PA-22-160 (N9332D), Billings, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions which led to a loss of control and subsequent ground loop. A contributing factor was the wind gust. 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.