- Date
- June 8, 2014, 10:30 local (14:30 UTC)
- Place
- Reading, PA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N26MBoeing A75N1(PT17)
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20140608012199A
- Case key
- 89386
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 loss of control while landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane in a quartering tailwind. A factor in the accident was the changing wind conditions.
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 of the tailwheel-equipped biplane prepared for landing with a reported 70-degree quartering left headwind at 9 knots. After touching down on the main landing gear, and as the pilot lowered the tail, the airplane began turning to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and brake in an attempt to arrest the turn, but was unsuccessful. The airplane turned 90 degrees to the left and skidded sideways before the right wheel separated from the landing gear. The lower right wing then contacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the outboard portion of the wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further commented that during the landing, the wind appeared to be in a state of change and that the winds had shifted to a quartering tailwind during the accident sequence.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped biplane prepared for landing with a reported 70-degree quartering left headwind at 9 knots. After touching down on the main landing gear, and as the pilot lowered the tail, the airplane began turning to the left. The pilot applied right rudder and brake in an attempt to arrest the turn, but was unsuccessful. The airplane turned 90 degrees to the left and skidded sideways before the right wheel separated from the landing gear. The lower right wing then contacted the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the outboard portion of the wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot further commented that during the landing, the wind appeared to be in a state of change and that the winds had shifted to a quartering tailwind during the accident sequence.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N26M
- Reported as
- Boeing A75N1(PT17)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-1925
- Built
- 1941
- Airframe hours
- 3,534
- Engine
- Continental W670N, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Mid Atlantic Air Museum
- Registered owner
- Saylor Brenda E
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 2014 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- RDG · Reading, PA
- Destination
- RDG · Reading, PA
- Airport
- RDG · Reading Rgnl/Carl A Spaatz Fie, runway 31, 6,350 × 150 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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 4, 2014
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,468 total · 197 in this make and model · 3,142 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 21 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KRDG
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 25, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.3 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 N26M · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.