- Date
- March 23, 2001, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Odessa, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N304CAviat A-1B Husky
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20010323006149A
- Case key
- 51982
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, which resulted in a ground loop.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings, and during the second landing roll, he overcompensated on the rudder controls, and the airplane departed the runway to the right. The airplane ground looped, and the left wing contacted the ground. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest upright.
Factual narrative
On March 23, 2001, at 1100 central standard time, an Aviat A-1B Husky tail wheel-equipped aircraft, N304C, was substantially damaged when it ground looped while landing at the Odessa-Schlemeyer Field, Odessa, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant, was not injured. The aircraft was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the Odessa-Schlemeyer Field, approximately 20 minutes prior to the accident.
According to the FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, the pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings on runway 02. During the second landing roll, the pilot overcompensated on the rudder controls, and the airplane departed the runway to the right. The airplane ground looped and contacted the ground with the left wing. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright. Examination of the aircraft revealed that the left wing's spar was bent up approximately 30 degrees outboard of the lift strut.
At 1053, the weather observation facility at the Midland International Airport (located 11 miles east of the Odessa Airport), reported the wind from 110 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 18 degrees Celsius, dew point 8 degrees Celsius, and an altimeter setting of 30.04 inches of mercury.
In the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), under the section titled "Recommendation (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented)," the pilot wrote "proper application and proper degree of application of ailerons and rudder."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N304C
- Reported as
- Aviat A-1B Husky
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2113
- Airframe hours
- 85
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-AIP, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeffrey T. Hunter
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 5, 2000 · 83 hours before
- Departed
- ODO · Odessa, TX
- Airport
- ODO · Schlemeyer Field, runway 02, 5,700 × 75 ft, asphalt
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- March 9, 2001
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 355 total · 13 in this make and model · 284 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- MAF, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.