- Date
- February 9, 2009, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Clemson, SC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N99PMHelio H-295
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 12, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090209004369A
- Case key
- 73348
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 during landing. Contributing to the accident was the crosswind.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot stated that while landing on runway 07 with the wind from 160 degrees at 5 knots gusting to 20 knots, he performed a wheel landing then lowered the tailwheel. As the tailwheel contacted the runway, the airplane yawed to the right and ground looped resulting in damage to the left wing, left aileron, and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the Helio H-295 stated that while landing on runway 07 with the wind from 160 degrees at 5 knots with gusts to 20 knots, he performed a wheel landing then lowered the tailwheel. As the tailwheel contacted the runway, the airplane yawed to the right and ground looped resulting in damage to the left wing, left aileron, and left horizontal stabilizer. The pilot did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N99PM
- Reported as
- Helio H-295
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1208
- Airframe hours
- 2,469
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480 SERIES, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Gary Schmitt
- Registered owner
- Mojoe LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 2, 2008
- Departed
- Highlands, NC
- Destination
- CEU · Clemson, SC
- Airport
- CEU · Oconee County Regional Airport, runway 07, 4,400 × 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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 26, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,850 total · 320 in this make and model · 55 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.32 inHg
- Observed at
- CEU
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 N99PM · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.