# NTSB ERA15LA039: Curtiss Wright P 40B, N284CF, New Smyrna Beach, FL, October 29, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: October 29, 2014, 16:20 local (20:20 UTC) - Place: New Smyrna Beach, FL - Coordinates: 29.103332, -80.942779 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1033&lon=-80.9428&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 24, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 90343 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA15LA039 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90343/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90343 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA15LA039 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing with a crosswind, which resulted in a ground loop and a subsequent runway excursion. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: crosswind correction](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 184 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062030/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 9,308 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 3,969 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Wind: crosswind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 1,014 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034040/cases.md) - [Experience/qualifications: recent experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot; cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035/cases.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 4,590 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 3,656 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Curtiss Wright P-40B, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2622302), [All aircraft, 10,154 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis According to the pilot, except for the 1.2 hours of flight time that he had accumulated during two test flights in the accident airplane, which had occurred within the previous 30 days, he had not flown an airplane of the same make and model in about 4 years. The accident flight was the second flight in the airplane since it had been reassembled. The pilot attempted to land the airplane with a 13-knot crosswind. During the landing, the tailwheel "shimmied" when it contacted the runway, and the airplane immediately began to veer right. The pilot attempted to arrest the turn with left rudder and left brake inputs, but the airplane ground looped and subsequently departed the right side of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing and lower fuselage. Postaccident examination of the rudder and braking systems revealed no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions that would have caused the loss of directional control. ## Factual narrative On October 29, 2014, about 1620 eastern daylight time, a Curtiss P40B airplane, N284CF, was substantially damaged during an attempted landing at New Smyrna Beach Airport (EVB), New Smyrna Beach, Florida. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which departed from EVB about 1525. The airplane test flight was conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the pilot, the airplane had been recently disassembled and transported from the United Kingdom to the United States where it was reassembled. On the day of the accident flight, which was also the airplane's second flight since it was reassembled, the pilot flew in the vicinity of EVB for about an hour before returning to the airport to land. Although the winds favored runway 07 at the time, the pilot elected to land on runway 02 to reduce taxi time to parking. During the landing, the airplane touched down in a three-point attitude and the tail wheel "shimmied" as the airplane began to turn to the right. The pilot attempted to arrest the turn with left rudder and left brake inputs; however, the airplane ground looped, resulting in the collapse of the main landing gear. During a follow-up telephone conversation, the pilot reported that all the flight controls felt "normal" during the ground roll. The pilot stated that "response to rudder/tailwheel steering was inadequate to arrest a directional swing" into the wind and the application of left brake produced no noticeable braking action. The pilot had about 40 hours of total time in the accident airplane make and model; of which, about 1.2 hours had been accumulated within the 30 days prior to the accident. Prior to the most recent flight experience, the pilot had not piloted an airplane of the same make and model for about 4 years preceding the accident. According to the pilot, a mechanic had verified that the rudder cables were "good and taught" prior to the second flight. An inspector with the Federal Aviation Administration responded to the accident site and inspected the wreckage. She reported that the airplane had ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage and left wing. Postaccident examination of the airplane rudder control system revealed no mechanical malfunctions that would have precluded or limited directional control of the airplane during landing. The 1623 special weather observation at EVB, included wind from 070 degrees at 7 knots, 10 statute miles visibility, scattered clouds 5,500 feet, temperature 28 degrees C, dew point 17 degrees C, and an altimeter setting of 30.02 inches of mercury. According to the pilot, the wind, around the time of the accident, was from 060 degrees at 9 knots. According to an NTSB weather study, at the time of the accident there was a sea breeze moving across the airport that included about 15 knot winds above the surface. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N284CF](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N284CF), registered now, S/N 16073, built 1941 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CURTISS WRIGHT P 40B - Registry model: [Curtiss Wright P-40B](https://openairdocs.org/model/curtiss-wright-p-40b) (registry code 2622302) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison V1710 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-v1710-series) (registry code 03040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 16073 - Year built: 1941 - Airframe hours: 99 - Engines: Allison V 1710-33 1040 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Operator: Collings Foundation - Registered owner: Tomahawk P-40 LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, September 16, 2014, 1 hours before - Departed: EVB, New Smyrna Beach, FL - Destination: EVB, New Smyrna Beach, FL - Airport: EVB, New Smyrna Beach, runway 02, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: minor; flight instructor, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine sea, single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 27, 2014; seat: single; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 10,320 total, 41 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: EVB ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20141029022299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141029022299A), Oct 29, 2014: Curtiss Wright P-40B, New Smyrna Beac, FL, Substantial damage. N284CF landing on runway 2 reportedly ground looped to the right and departed the runway on the east side of runway 2. Pilot's statement indicated that the… ## Docket (8 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 26, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90343. 17.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 2.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431169&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Correspondence with FAA (item 2, .PDF, 141 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431170&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Correspondence%20with%20FAA-Redacted.PDF - Record of Conversations with Pilot (item 3, .PDF, 263 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431171&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Record%20of%20Conversations%20with%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Weather Report and Record (item 4, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431172&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Report%20and%20Record-Master.PDF - Excerpts from Aircraft Logbooks (item 5, .PDF, 453 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431174&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Excerpts%20from%20Aircraft%20Logbooks-Redacted.PDF - Photograph 1: Airplane at Rest at Accident Site (Courtesy of FAA) (item 6, .PDF, 4.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431175&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%201%3A%20Airplane%20at%20Rest%20at%20Accident%20Site%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph 2: Left Wing (Courtesy of FAA) (item 7, .PDF, 4.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431176&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%202%3A%20Left%20Wing%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF - Photograph 3: Runway Approach End (Courtesy of FAA) (item 8, .PDF, 4.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40431177&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photograph%203%3A%20Runway%20Approach%20End%20(Courtesy%20of%20FAA)-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.