- Date
- July 5, 2017, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Kankakee, IL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4207JCessna A188B
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 21, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170705009959A
- Case key
- 95733
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 improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced landing, and his subsequent incorrect brake application, which led to the loss of directional control.
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 in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing on runway 4, but the airspeed was high, and the airplane bounced. The airplane then descended and landed on the main landing gear. As the airspeed decreased and the tailwheel settled to the runway, the pilot felt that he did not have rudder authority, and he mistakenly attempted to apply the heel brakes. The accident airplane was equipped with toe brakes. The pilot's other airplane had heel brakes, and he recalled that the heel brake application was instinctive. The pilot reported that there was a crosswind, that the airplane began pulling to the right, and that he eventually applied the toe brakes, but the airplane ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The METAR reported that the wind was from 130° at 7 knots and that the sky was clear with 10 statute miles of visibility. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing on runway 4, but the airspeed was high, and the airplane bounced. The airplane then descended and landed on the main landing gear. As the airspeed decreased, and the tail wheel settled to the runway, the pilot felt that he did not have rudder authority and he mistakenly attempted to apply the heel brakes. The accident airplane was equipped with toe brakes. The pilot's other airplane has heel brakes and he recalled that the heel brake application was instinctive. The pilot reported that there was a crosswind, the airplane began pulling to the right, and he eventually applied the toe brakes, but the airplane ground-looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The METAR reported that the wind was from 130° at 7 knots and the skies were clear with 10 statute miles of visibility. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4207J
- Reported as
- Cessna A188B (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18803724
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 5,867.3
- Engine
- Continental IO520D187B, 300 hp, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special); Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 2017
- Departed
- 4WN9 · Salem, WI
- Destination
- IN55 · Veddersburg, IN
- Airport
- IKK · Greater Kankakee, runway 04, 5,981 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 4, 2017
- Seat
- Single
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 327 total · 5 in this make and model · 4.5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 0.4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KIKK, 3 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 26, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 551 KB 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.