- Date
- October 23, 2014, 11:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Louisburg, NC
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N731PMCessna A188B
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 12, 2015
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20141023019659A
- Case key
- 90303
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 takeoff.
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 dispersing a load he returned, and landed uneventfully on runway 5, which was the runway in use, reporting that the wind was from the west northwest at approximately 9 knots with gusts to 16 knots. He loaded the ant bait, taxied out, and during the takeoff roll from runway 5, about 600 to 800 feet down the runway, he indicated that he, "really got hit with a gust" estimated to be at 20 knots. When the wind gust occurred the tail wheel had not been raised from the runway yet. He indicated that he lost directional control resulting in a ground loop, and the airplane weather vaned, hit the edge, and bounced then came down with the sideload resulting in damage. He attempted to correct with rudder and brake but he was unable to. He indicated there was nothing wrong with the airplane that caused the accident. A surface observation taken from the accident airport about 5 minutes before the accident indicates the wind was variable from 280 to 340 degrees at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot stated that after dispersing a load he returned, and landed uneventfully on runway 5, which was the runway in use, reporting that the wind was from the west northwest at approximately 9 knots with gusts to 16 knots. He loaded the ant bait, taxied out, and during the takeoff roll from runway 5, about 600 to 800 feet down the runway, he indicated that he, "really got hit with a gust" estimated to be at 20 knots. When the wind gust occurred the tail wheel had not been raised from the runway yet. He indicated that he lost directional control resulting in a ground loop, and the airplane weather vaned, hit the edge, and bounced then came down with the sideload resulting in damage. He attempted to correct with rudder and brake but he was unable to. He indicated there was nothing wrong with the airplane that caused the accident. A surface observation taken from the accident airport about 5 minutes before the accident indicates the wind was variable from 280 to 340 degrees at 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N731PM
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18803048
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 8,416.6
- Engine
- Continental IO-550, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Ag Inc
- Registered owner
- Air Ag Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 5, 2014 · 32 hours before
- Departed
- LHZ · Louisburg, NC
- Destination
- LHZ · Louisburg, NC
- Airport
- LHZ · Traingle North Executive Arpt, runway 05, 5,498 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 6, 2013
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 8,000 in this make and model · 18,000 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 27 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- LHZ
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 15, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 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.