- Date
- November 30, 2023, 11:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Martinsville, VA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N9564KStinson 108-2
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- 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
- FAA report
- 20231130022419A
- Case key
- 193457
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 a wheel landing in crosswind conditions and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a ground loop on the runway.
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 private pilot was flying with a flight instructor and was working towards his tailwheel endorsement. During a wheel landing attempt with a direct crosswind from the left, the airplane swerved, and the pilot attempted to make a correction by applying right rudder. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped before the flight instructor could take control of the airplane, and the left wing and left elevator struck the runway surface. Following the ground loop, the pilot continued the taxi to the ramp without further incident. The fuselage, left wing, and left elevator sustained substantial damage. The pilot and flight instructor reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9564K
- Reported as
- Stinson 108-2
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-2564
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 2,043
- Engine
- Franklin 6A4-165-B3, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 24, 2023 · 11 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- MTV · Blue Ridge, runway 13/31, 5,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 24, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 211 total · 11 in this make and model · 121 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 3, 2022
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 28,542 total · 20,485 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.25 inHg
- Observed at
- MTV
- METAR
- KMTV 301555Z AUTO 25003KT 10SM CLR 10/M06 A3025 RMK AO2 T01041057 TSNO
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.9 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.