# NTSB ERA23LA170: North American T-6G, N791MH, Lakeland, FL, March 29, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 29, 2023, 09:17 local (13:17 UTC)
- Place: Lakeland, FL · On runway 28
- Coordinates: 27.989196, -82.012095 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.9892&lon=-82.0121&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: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 106975
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA170
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/106975/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106975
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA170

## Probable cause

A loss of control on the ground as a result of left tailwheel steering cable separation.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Landing gear system: landing gear steering system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [North American T-6G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250/cases.md?model=6400432), [All aircraft, 32 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023250/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: [North American T-6G, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=6400432), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md)
- [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [North American T-6G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=6400432), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md)

## Analysis

According to the pilot, he performed a wheel landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. As he lowered the tailwheel, the airplane turned right, and he applied left rudder to continue straight. As soon as he applied the rudder pressure, he “felt something pop” and the airplane continued to turn right, resulting in a ground loop. In the accident sequence, the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the left wing. Post accident examination of the tailwheel steering system noted that the left tailwheel steering cable separated.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N791MH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N791MH), registered now, S/N 5114791, built 1951 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: NORTH AMERICAN T-6G
- Registry model: [North American T-6G](https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-t-6g) (registry code 6400432) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Pratt & Whitney R1340 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/pratt-whitney-r1340-series) (registry code 52016, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 5114791
- Year built: 1951
- Airframe hours: 8610.1
- Engines: P&W R-1340-AN1 600 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, February 2, 2023
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: LAL, Lakeland Linder Intl, runway 28, 8,500 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine sea, single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review March 4, 2023; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 110,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 10,000 as pilot in command

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 30° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observed at: LAL, 2 nm away
- METAR: KLAL 291250Z 03008KT 10SM SCT033 22/19 A3007

## 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 20230329009769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230329009769A), Mar 29, 2023: North American T-6G, Lakeland, FL, Substantial damage. Pilot was landing and on touchdown, pilot lost directional control due to steering cable broke and aircraft ground-looped.

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 29, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=106975. 3.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 7 pages, 2.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15593979&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=2023-04-03_N791MH_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Investigative photograph (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 1 photo, 482 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15594366&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20LA170-Rel.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.

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