- Date
- August 18, 2017, 15:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Centerville, TN
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4859NBoeing E75
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 27, 2017
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170818021769A
- Case key
- 95872
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 receiving instruction’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Findings · 3
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 receiving instruction reported that, during the landing roll before stopping, the tailwheel-equipped biplane "made a sudden move to [the] left." He added that the flight instructor's quick reactions kept the biplane on the runway and going straight. The pilot then regained control of the biplane, and the left wing dropped and "despite corrective inputs on the controls would not respond to further control inputs," and the airplane then ground looped to the right. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the biplane came to rest nose down on the runway. The biplane sustained substantial damage to all four wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that "it was [his] personal contention and belief that the upper left gear failed[,] resulting in substantial damage to the [biplane] and the resultant ground loop." He added that "[he] did not believe that this particular incident could have been prevented." A review of a video of the accident showed, in part, a loss of control early in the landing roll, followed by a subsequent loss of control and ground loop to the right.
Factual narrative
The pilot, who was receiving instruction, reported that during the landing roll prior to stopping, the tailwheel-equipped biplane "made a sudden move to [the] left." He added that, quick reactions by the flight instructor kept the biplane on the runway and going straight. The biplane once again under the control of the pilot, then "dropped the left wing and despite corrective inputs on the controls would not respond to further control inputs" and ground looped to the right. Subsequently, the left main landing gear collapsed and the biplane came to rest nose down on the runway. The biplane sustained substantial damage to all four wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that, "it was [his] personal contention and belief that the upper left gear failed[,] resulting in substantial damage to the [biplane] and the resultant ground loop." He added that, "[he] did not believe that this particular incident could have been prevented." A review of a video of the accident that was submitted, showed in part a loss of control early in the landing roll, followed by a subsequent loss of control and ground loop to the right.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4859N
- Reported as
- Boeing E75 (UNDESIGNAT)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 75-5650
- Built
- 1943
- Engine
- Continental W670-6N, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 1, 2016
- Departed
- GHM · Centerville, TN
- Destination
- GHM · Centerville, TN
- Airport
- GHM · Centerville Muni, runway 20, 4,002 × 75 ft, asphalt
- 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 2, 2016
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 305 total · 39 in this make and model · 180 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Flight engineer, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land, Multi-engine sea, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- April 3, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 5,940 total · 209 in this make and model · 3,580 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots, gusting 11
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- KMRC, 21 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 26, 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.