- Date
- February 8, 2018, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Valkaria, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N79GHHeinlein George GH125
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180208002169A
- Case key
- 96939
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 decision to exit the paved runway into soft terrain, which resulted in a ground loop and landing gear collapse.
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, after landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he exited the runway as soon as possible due to student traffic in the pattern. The runway had no parallel taxiway, and he underestimated the softness of the terrain next to the runway. He added that the right main landing gear dug in, the airplane ground looped, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nose-down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he should have stayed on the paved runway until reaching the taxiway exit.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, after landing the tailwheel-equipped airplane, he exited the runway as soon as possible due to student traffic in the pattern, but the runway had no parallel taxiway, and he underestimated the softness of the terrain next to the runway. He added, the right main landing gear dug in, the airplane ground looped, the right main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he should have stayed on the paved runway until reaching the taxiway exit.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79GH
- Reported as
- Heinlein George GH125 (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 01
- Built
- 1993
- Engine
- Lycoming O-290-G, 130 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- X59 · Valkaria, FL
- Destination
- X59 · Valkaria, FL
- Airport
- X59 · Valkaria, runway 10, 4,000 × 75 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
- 73
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 2 in this make and model · 3,000 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KMLB, 9 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2018, 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.
Other investigations on N79GH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.