- Date
- March 13, 2016, 13:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Chandler, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N89939Cessna 140
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 3, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- Scottsdale FSDO (FAA)
- FAA report
- 20160313009489A
- Case key
- 92861
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 runway excursion, a ground loop, and a collision with an airport sign.
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 a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that he encountered a crosswind during a wheel landing. During the landing roll, the pilot further reported that the airplane "drifted abruptly to the left" and he added right rudder, but the airplane departed the runway to the left. During the runway excursion, the airplane ground looped to the left and collided with an airport sign, the right main landing gear separated, and the right wing impacted the ground. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to right wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that he encountered a crosswind during a wheel landing. During the landing roll, the pilot further reported that the airplane "drifted abruptly to the left" and he added right rudder, but the airplane departed the runway to the left. During the runway excursion, the airplane ground looped to the left and collided with an airport sign, the right main landing gear separated, and the right wing impacted the ground. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to right wing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N89939
- Reported as
- Cessna 140 (G)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 8991
- Built
- 1946
- Airframe hours
- 3,895.93
- Engine
- Continental C-85-12F, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 6, 2015
- Departed
- FFZ · Mesa, AZ
- Destination
- CHD · Chandler, AZ
- Airport
- CHD · Chandler Muni, runway 22L, 4,870 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 31, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,984 total · 1,334 in this make and model · 39 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.03 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KCHD
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 27, 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.