- Date
- June 18, 2017, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Palatka, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N5896HPiper PA 16
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 7, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170618011139A
- Case key
- 95399
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.
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.
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 reported that, after flying a stable approach, the airplane ground looped to the right during the landing. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, after flying a stable approach, the airplane ground looped to the right on rollout. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5896H
- Reported as
- Piper PA 16 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 16-514
- Built
- 1949
- Airframe hours
- 3,405
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 2017
- Departed
- 3FL0 · Welaka, FL
- Destination
- 28J · Palatka, FL
- Airport
- 28J · Palatka Muni - Lt Kay Larkin F, runway 27, 6,000 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 2, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,620 total · 120 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Foreign
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 14, 2016
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,402 total · 1 in this make and model · 1,300 as pilot in command · 142 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 91 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- K42J, 22 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 8, 2017, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 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.