- Date
- June 18, 2011, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Trinca, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N714TXCessna A185F
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 4, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110618015409A
- Case key
- 80870
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, and the flight instructor's inadequate remedial action, which resulted in a ground-loop.
Findings · 4
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 recently purchased the tailwheel airplane; however, he did not possess a tailwheel endorsement and was receiving flight instruction in his airplane. The pilot stated that he landed on a turf runway, and shortly after touchdown, the airplane rolled about 800 feet and the left main landing gear contacted a divot in the turf, which caused the airplane to yaw left. He tried to correct the yaw by applying right rudder and brake. The flight instructor then also applied rudder, aileron, and elevator control; however, they were unable to regain control and the airplane ground-looped. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the right wing, right main landing gear, and right side fuselage. The pilot further stated that the wind was calm and the airplane did not experience any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Factual narrative
The pilot recently purchased the tailwheel airplane; however, he did not possess a tailwheel endorsement and was receiving flight instruction in his airplane. The pilot stated that he landed on a turf runway, and shortly after touchdown, the airplane rolled about 800 feet and the left main landing gear contacted a divot in the turf, which caused the airplane to yaw left. He tried to correct the yaw by applying right rudder and brake. The flight instructor then also applied rudder, aileron, and elevator control; however, they were unable to regain control and the airplane ground-looped. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the right wing, right main landing gear, and right side fuselage. The pilot further stated that the wind was calm and the airplane did not experience any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N714TX
- Reported as
- Cessna A185F
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18504423
- Airframe hours
- 3,313
- Engine
- Cont Motor IO 520, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Pascal Boillat
- Registered owner
- Pascario Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 6, 2010 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- CDW · Caldwell, NJ
- Destination
- 13N · Trinca, NJ
- Airport
- 13N · Trinca Airport, runway 06, 1,924 × 135 ft, grass/turf
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2011
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 24,500 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 23,300 as pilot in command · 95 in the last 90 days · 45 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 45
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 2, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,820 total · 3 in this make and model · 1,800 as pilot in command · 55 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- FWN, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 12, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 6.4 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.