- Date
- September 3, 2016, 14:15 local (18:15 UTC)
- Place
- Dalton, OH
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N56PStropki Paul Outback
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20160903016069A
- Case key
- 94077
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 of the airplane during landing in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a ground loop.
Findings · 4
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 stated that during landing, the airplane did not want to "settle" to the runway due to gusting winds. He further stated that upon touchdown the airplane ground looped to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, right wing, and right wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of local weather from an automated weather observation station located about 10 miles to the northwest, showed that about 15 minutes before the accident the wind was variable at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and few clouds at 4700 feet above ground level. However, the pilot reported the wind at the accident site as 170 degrees true, 8 knots, gusts to 20 knots, and he was landing runway 18.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane stated that during landing, the airplane did not want to "settle" to the runway due to gusting winds. He further stated that upon touchdown the airplane ground looped to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, right wing, and right wing lift strut. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of local weather from an automated weather observation station located about 10 miles to the northwest, showed that about 15 minutes before the accident the wind was variable at 6 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, and few clouds at 4700 feet above ground level. However, the pilot reported the wind at the accident site as 170 degrees true, 8 knots, gusts to 20 knots, and he was landing runway 18.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56P
- Reported as
- Stropki Paul Outback (SERIES5)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- S9910-0226
- Built
- 2002
- Airframe hours
- 550
- Engine
- Continental IO-240B4B, 125 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · December 1, 2015
- Departed
- TSO · Carrollton, OH
- Destination
- None · Dalton, OH
- Airport
- runway 18, 2,000 × 60 ft, grass/turf
- 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
- 75
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 16, 2015
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,157 total · 550 in this make and model · 1,066 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KBJJ, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 1, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.6 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.