- Date
- June 14, 2009, 13:27 local (17:27 UTC)
- Place
- Stevensville, MD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N47024Beech C17B
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 19, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- Case key
- 74054
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 of the airplane during the landing roll.
Findings · 2
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 after takeoff in the tailwheel-equipped airplane the flight proceeded to the destination airport and the automated weather observing station (AWOS) indicated the wind was favoring runway 29. The flight continued and while on final approach to runway 29, the AWOS indicated the wind was from 360 degrees at 7 knots; no gusts were reported. The airplane landed on the main landing gear, and within seconds of lowering the tailwheel, the airplane suddenly veered to the right. The pilot applied right aileron, left rudder, and left brake to stop the turn but was unsuccessful. The airplane departed the runway and collided with a ditch. The spars of the lower left wing were damaged. Inspection of the airplane following recovery by a FAA certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization (A&P/IA) revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the tailwheel assembly.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that after takeoff the flight proceeded to the destination airport and the automated weather observing station (AWOS) indicated the wind was favoring runway 29. The flight continued and while on final approach to runway 29, the AWOS indicated the wind was from 360 degrees at 7 knots; no gusts were reported. The airplane was landed first on the main landing gear, and within seconds of lowering the tailwheel, the airplane suddenly veered to the right. She applied right aileron, left rudder, and left brake to stop the turn but was unsuccessful. The airplane departed the runway and collided with a ditch. After coming to rest she and her son exited the airplane. The spars of the lower left wing were damaged. Inspection of the airplane following recovery by a FAA certificated airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization (A&P/IA) revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction of the tailwheel assembly. The tailwheel pin was not fractured or failed, and he did not detect any excessive play or looseness in the tailwheel assembly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N47024
- Reported as
- Beech C17B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- C17B-102
- Airframe hours
- 2,437
- Engine
- Jacobs L4 /R755-7, 245 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 20, 2009
- Departed
- PJC · Zelienople, PA
- Destination
- W29 · Stevensville, MD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- W29 · Bay Bridge Airport, runway 29, 2,903 × 60 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
- 57
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 28, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,171 total · 1,148 in this make and model · 8,921 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days · 25 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- ESN, 16 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 25, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 783 KB in all.
Other investigations on N47024 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.