- Date
- April 23, 2016, 08:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place
- Defuniak Springs, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N437PTLogan Jerry L GN 1 Aircamper
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160423003069A
- Case key
- 93190
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 loss of directional control during the landing in gusting crosswind conditions resulting in a runway excursion, and the pilot's failure to attain a positive climb rate during the aborted landing and subsequent ground collision.
Findings · 6
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
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a crosswind gust and he applied right rudder. He reported that a subsequent wind gust lifted the right wing, triggering a ground loop to the right and the airplane exited the right side of the runway. He recalled that the airplane was headed for a water drainage catch basin and he decided to add full power, and attempt to fly out of the ground loop in an effort to avoid the catch basin. The right wheel of the airplane collided with the perimeter of the catch basin and the airplane spun to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. According to the nearest meteorological aerodrome report, 19 miles south, the wind about the time of the accident was variable at 3 knots. The pilot landed on runway 27. The pilot reported that there were not any mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with any portion the airplane prior to the accident that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, during the landing roll, the airplane encountered a crosswind gust and he applied right rudder. He reported that a subsequent wind gust lifted the right wing, triggering a ground loop to the right and the airplane exited the right side of the runway. He recalled that the airplane was headed for a water drainage catch basin and he decided to add full power, and attempt to fly out of the ground loop in an effort to avoid the catch basin. The right wheel of the airplane collided with the perimeter of the catch basin and the airplane spun to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing lift strut. According to the nearest meteorological aerodrome report, 19 miles south, the wind about the time of the accident was variable at 3 knots. The pilot landed on runway 27. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical anomalies or malfunctions with any portion of the airplane or engine prior to the accident that would have prevented normal flight operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N437PT
- Reported as
- Logan Jerry L GN 1 Aircamper (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1359
- Built
- 1991
- Airframe hours
- 1,900
- Engine
- Contenintal C-90, 90 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 22, 2016
- Departed
- EDN · Enterprise, AL
- Destination
- 54J · Defuniak Springs, FL
- Airport
- 54J · Defuniak Springs, runway 27, 4,146 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Handheld GPS
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 20, 2014
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 4,143 total · 58 in this make and model · 4,009 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- KCEW, 19 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 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.