- Date
- October 28, 2014, 17:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Rutland, VT
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N340BFAviat S 2C
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 2014
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20141028021399A
- Case key
- 90341
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 rollout in gusty crosswind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop and subsequent substantial damage to the airplane.
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
According to the pilot, he overflew the runway, observed the windsock, and elected to perform a left quartering headwind landing. The approach and landing on runway 19 was "uneventful" and during the landing roll, the pilot applied left aileron and used both rudder pedals to maintain directional control. Then, the airplane began to veer to the left and "ground looped." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder during the accident sequence. The pilot further reported that a mechanic indicated that the "tailwheel may be broken" which may have contributed to the ground loop. A postaccident examination revealed that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 120 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 23 knots.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot, he overflew the runway, observed the windsock, and elected to perform a left quartering headwind landing. The approach and landing on runway 19 was "uneventful" and during the landing roll, the pilot applied left aileron and used both rudder pedals to maintain directional control. Then, the airplane began to veer to the left and "ground looped." The airplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder during the accident sequence. The pilot further reported that a mechanic indicated that the "tailwheel may be broken" which may have contributed to the ground loop. A postaccident examination revealed that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were from 120 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 23 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N340BF
- Reported as
- Aviat S 2C (C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6055
- Built
- 2003
- Airframe hours
- 396
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Aerobatic
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 23, 2013
- Departed
- ANP · Annapolis, MD
- Destination
- HIE · Whitefield, NH
- Airport
- KRUT · Rutland Airport, runway 19, 5,003 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2014
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 300 in this make and model · 500 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 120° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KRUT, 5 nm away
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2014, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 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.