- Date
- March 31, 2018, 11:27 local (18:27 UTC)
- Place
- Prescott, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N540DMCub Crafters CC18-180
- 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
- Case key
- 96964
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 student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during landing after touching down with the left brake engaged. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Findings · 5
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 flight instructor reported that, during a training flight, upon landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane bounced slightly. Subsequently, when the airplane touched back down, it veered to the left. He added that the student did not react immediately, so he added power and right rudder to correct. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, the instructor added full right brake to avoid a visual approach slope indicator (VASI) light, and the airplane ground looped to the right. The flight instructor added that the student had apparently touched down after the first bounce with the left brake engaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The flight instructor reported that, during a training flight, upon landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane bounced slightly. Subsequently, when the airplane touched back down it veered to the left. He added that, the student did not react immediately, so he added power and right rudder to correct. The airplane exited the left side of the runway, he added full right brake to avoid a visual approach slope indicator (VASI) light, and the airplane ground looped to the right. The flight instructor added that the student had apparently touched down after the first bounce with the left brake engaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and aileron. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N540DM
- Reported as
- Cub Crafters CC18-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- CC18-0027
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 328
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C1G, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 14, 2008
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Destination
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Airport
- PRC · Ernest A Love Field, runway 21R, 4,846 × 60 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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 3, 2016
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 23,870 total · 55 in this make and model · 18,906 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 48 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 22
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 66.4 total · 31.6 in this make and model · 31.6 in the last 90 days · 18.1 in the last 30 days · 1.1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.17 inHg
- Observed at
- KPRC
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 23, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB in all.