# NTSB DEN99LA162: Piper PA-22-135, N3329A, Greeley, CO, September 14, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 14, 1999, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Greeley, CO - Coordinates: 40.440063, -104.670303 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4401&lon=-104.6703&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47414 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN99LA162 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47414/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA162 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadvertent ground loop during landing roll. Factors were the malfunctioning self centering locking device on the tail wheel, the right rear quartering tail wind, and the 3 to 4 inch high berm along the edge of the runway. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll - landing gear,tailwheel - malfunction (contributing factor) - ground loop/swerve - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll - terrain condition - berm (contributing factor) ## Analysis The pilot said that he was landing on runway 35 with a right quartering tailwind of 6 knots. The landing appeared normal until about 40 to 45 knots when the airplane began drifting to the left of centerline. He said that he corrected the airplane back to the centerline, and then it suddenly ground looped to the right. The pilot said that there was a 3 to 4 inch high dirt berm along the side of the runway. He said that when his left main landing gear and tail wheel impacted this berm, they folded under the airplane. He further stated that the rubber skid marks on the runway indicated that the tail wheel was oscillating, or shimmying. The maintenance person who recovered the airplane said that the self-centering tail wheel locking device was 'well lubricated,' which is what the maintenance manual calls for. He said the aerial application pilots that fly airplanes with similar tail wheel self-centering devices always instruct him not to lubricate their self-centering devices when he performs maintenance on their aircraft. They told him that it was easier to land in a crosswind when their tail wheel self-centering devices were dry. ## Factual narrative On September 14, 1999, at 1200 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-22-135 (converted to a PA-20-135, Pacer), N3329A, was substantially damaged during landing rollout at Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colorado. The airline transport pilot and his passenger were not injured. The aircraft was being operated by the owner under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight which originated from Larned, Kansas, approximately 2 hours, 25 minutes before the accident. No flight plan had been filed. The pilot reported that when he was 10 miles east of the airport he heard that the wind was 100 degrees at 6 knots, and that the active runway was 35 (runway 27-09 was closed, and runway 03-21 was a dirt runway in unknown condition). He flew over the airport and entered the traffic pattern on a left downwind. The pilot said the landing appeared normal until about 40 to 45 knots when the airplane began drifting to the left of centerline. He said he corrected the airplane back to the centerline, and then it suddenly ground looped to the right. The pilot said that there was a 3 to 4 inch high dirt berm along the side of the runway. He said his left main landing gear and tail wheel impacted the berm, and folded under the airplane. Subsequently, the left wing spar broke at the mid point, and the empennage was twisted 90 degrees. He further stated that the rubber skid marks on the runway indicated that the tail wheel was oscillating, or shimmying (see pilot's statement). The maintenance person, who recovered the airplane, said that the self-centering tail wheel locking device was "well lubricated," which is what the maintenance manual requires. He said aerial application pilots who fly airplanes with similar tail wheel self-centering devices always instruct him not to lubricate their self-centering devices when he performs maintenance on their aircraft. They told him that it was easier to land in a crosswind when their tail wheel self-centering devices were dry. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3329A](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3329A-2000-06-08), registration cancelled 2000-06-08, S/N 22-1604 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-22-135 - Registry model: [Piper PA-22-135](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-135) (registry code 7102206) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 22-1604 - Airframe hours: 3908 - Engines: Lycoming O-290-D2 140 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Robert M. Mankoff - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 1, 1999, 6 hours before - Departed: LQR, LARNED, KS - Destination: GXY - Airport: GXY, Greeley-Weld County, runway 35, 3,599 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 7,368 total, 38 in this make and model, 4,467 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 36 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 34 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: GXY ## 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 19990914046529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990914046529A), Sep 14, 1999: Piper PA22135, Greeley, CO, No damage. (-23)Aircraft landed runway 35 at gxy at approximately 1225 MDT, and during landing roll out ran off the right side of the runway north of the intersection on… 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.