- Date
- April 29, 2009, 11:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Georgetown, SC
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3036MPiper PA-12
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090429007629A
- Case key
- 73754
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 roll. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the make and model airplane.
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 recently hired, tailwheel-endorsed commercial pilot was acting as pilot-in-command and was accompanied by the chief pilot of a banner tow company. He was practicing touch and go landings in a tailwheel airplane. During the second landing, the airplane turned to the right soon after the tailwheel contacted the runway. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control, but was unable to prevent the airplane departing the runway. The airplane ground looped, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing was bent upward. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The recorded wind, about the time of the accident, was oriented with the runway heading at 5 knots. The pilot reported 319 hours of total flight experience, of which 3 hours were in the tailwheel-type airplane.
Factual narrative
The recently hired, tailwheel endorsed, commercial pilot was acting as pilot-in-command and was accompanied by the chief pilot of a banner tow company. He was practicing touch and go landings in a tailwheel airplane. During the second landing, the airplane turned to the right soon after the tailwheel contacted the runway. The pilot attempted to maintain directional control, but was unable to prevent the airplane departing the runway. The airplane ground looped, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing was bent upward. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. The recorded wind, about the time of the accident, was oriented with the runway heading at 5 knots. The pilot reported 319 hours of total flight experience; of which, 3 hours were in the tailwheel type airplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3036M
- Reported as
- Piper PA-12
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-1581
- Airframe hours
- 9,944
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-A2B, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Barnstormers Flite Signs
- Registered owner
- Barnstormers Flite Signs
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 8, 2009 · 18 hours before
- Departed
- CRE · N. Myrtle Beach, SC
- Destination
- GGE · Georgetown, SC
- Airport
- GGE · Georgetown County Airport, runway 23, 5,000 × 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 22, 2008
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 319 total · 3 in this make and model · 187 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Age
- 43
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 5, 2009
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 3,800 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.35 inHg
- Observed at
- GGE
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 8, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 MB in all.
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 N3036M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.