- Date
- April 7, 2017, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bessimer, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3839YShilt Jerry C F-1 Rocket
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170407003499A
- Case key
- 94977
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 rollout in gusting crosswind conditions.
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 reported that, during the landing roll as the tailwheel was almost in contact with the ground, the airplane started to veer to the right. He attempted to correct to the left but lost directional control, and the airplane ground looped to the left. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its right wing and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 340° at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot landed on runway 23.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing roll as the tailwheel was almost in contact with the ground, the airplane started to veer to the right. He attempted to correct to the left, but lost directional control, and the airplane ground looped to the left. During the ground loop, the airplane sustained substantial damage to its right wing and firewall. The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system on the airport, about the time of the accident, reported the wind at 340° at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The pilot landed on runway 23.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3839Y
- Reported as
- Shilt Jerry C F-1 Rocket (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 073
- Built
- 2010
- Airframe hours
- 154
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-D4A5, 260 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · June 20, 2016
- Departed
- LAL · Lakeland, FL
- Destination
- EKY · Bessimer, AL
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- EKY · Bessemer, runway 23, 6,007 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 77
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 14, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 14,000 total · 154 in this make and model · 13,000 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 10 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KEKY
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 1, 2017, 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.