GAA16CA103

NTSB accident investigation · Aviat A-1C · Breckenridge, TX · January 18, 2016

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
January 18, 2016, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
Place
Breckenridge, TX
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N73GTAviat A-1C
Defining event
Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 14, 2016
Report
Approved by Office Director
NTSB office
General Aviation Accidents
Parties
Federal Aviation Administration
FAA report
20160118001849A
Case key
92599

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground-loop.

Findings · 2

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.

Use of equip/info: aircraft controlPersonnel issues › Task performance · PilotAviat A-1C-180: 20 casesAll aircraft: 9,295 casesProbable cause
Performance/control parameters: directional controlAircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintainedAviat A-1C-180: 11 casesAll aircraft: 3,958 casesProbable cause

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 reported he was practicing touch-and-go-landings. When the airplane touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the right, he applied left rudder, but had applied too much and the airplane veered to the left. The pilot reported that he applied right rudder but had once again used too much and the airplane ground-looped to the right, and departed the runway surface. The left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported he was practicing touch-and-go-landings. When the airplane touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the right, he applied left rudder, but had applied too much and the airplane veered to the left. The pilot reported that he applied right rudder but once again had used too much and the airplane ground-looped to the right, and departed the runway surface. The left main landing gear collapsed and the left wing impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Aircraft

Registration
N73GT
Reported as
Aviat A-1C (180)
Category
Airplane
Serial number
3072
Built
2009
Airframe hours
132.7
Engine
Lycoming O-360-A1P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · January 12, 2016
Departed
BKD · Breckenridge, TX
Destination
BKD · Breckenridge, TX
Airport
BKD · Stephens County, runway 17, 4,997 × 100 ft, concrete
Equipment
Onboard weather, Stall warning system, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction 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
48
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Airplane
Medical
Class 3, With waivers/limitations
Last flight review
January 13, 2015
Seat
Front
Restraint
5-point
Flight hours
1,230 total · 60 in this make and model · 1,112 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 17 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
230° at 4 knots
Visibility
10 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
46 °F, dew point 27 °F
Altimeter
30.27 inHg
Observed at
KBKD

Docket · 2

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 7, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.