- Date
- August 27, 2017, 17:00 local (Aug 28, 2017, 00:00 UTC)
- Place
- Cody, WY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N335SBAviat A 1
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20170827010499A
- Case key
- 95905
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 roll.
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
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he landed on the asphalt surface of runway 4 with full flaps and about 40 knots airspeed. The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, a wind gust struck the airplane's left side, the airplane ground looped to the left, and the right-wing strut collided with the 7,000-ft runway distance marker. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing strut and the wing spar. The METAR at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 020° at 9 knots. No wind gusts were reported at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
According to the pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he landed on the asphalt surface of runway 4 with full flaps and about 40 knots airspeed. During the landing roll, a wind gust struck the left side of the airplane, and the airplane ground-looped to the left, and the right-wing strut collided with the 7,000ft runway distance marker. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing strut and the wing spar. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident, the wind was from 020° at 9kts. No wind gusts were reported at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N335SB
- Reported as
- Aviat A 1 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 2090
- Built
- 2000
- Airframe hours
- 610
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - local · Public use
- Operator
- Park County Sheriffs Office
- Registered owner
- Park County Sheriffs Office
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 1, 2017
- Departed
- COD · Cody, WY
- Destination
- COD · Cody, WY
- Airport
- COD · Yellowstone Rgnl, runway 04, 8,268 × 100 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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 83
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 19, 2017
- Flight hours
- 14,777 total · 610 in this make and model · 22 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 20° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.22 inHg
- Observed at
- KCOD
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.0 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.