- Date
- June 20, 2015, 13:15 local (20:15 UTC)
- Place
- Grants Pass, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N90NDAviat A
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 93123
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 the landing roll, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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 pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll in gusty wind conditions, a gust of wind lifted the left wing, the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 6 miles to the north, revealed that, at 1256 PDT, conditions were wind calm, visibility 10 statute miles, and sky clear.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that during the landing roll in gusty wind conditions, a gust of wind lifted the left wing, the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. According to the pilot there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located about 6 miles to the north, revealed that, at 1256 PDT, conditions were wind calm, visibility 10 statute miles, and sky clear.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N90ND
- Reported as
- Aviat A (1C)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3036
- Built
- 2009
- Airframe hours
- 491.2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 23, 2014
- Departed
- 3S8 · Grants Pass, OR
- Destination
- 3S8 · Grants Pass, OR
- Airport
- 3S8 · Grants Pass, runway 31, 4,001 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 68
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 30, 2013
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,101 total · 699 in this make and model · 4,101 as pilot in command · 86 in the last 90 days · 26 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KSXT, 6 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 13, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 MB in all.