- Date
- April 27, 2018, 19:09 local (Apr 28, 2018, 02:09 UTC)
- Place
- Spokane, WA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N35VMStinson 108
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 27, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180427004239A
- Case key
- 97128
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 landing.
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 reported that, during a three-point landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane "yawed slightly to the left of the path of travel," and when the right wheel touched down, the left wing and left main landing gear raised. He added that he applied left aileron and right rudder to correct; however, the airplane ground looped to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The right landing gear sank into the sod, the right wing struck the ground, and the airplane tipped on its nose then came to rest on its landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during a three-point landing, the tailwheel-equipped airplane was "yawed slightly to the left of the path of travel", and when the right wheel touched down the left wing and left main landing gear raised. He added that, he applied left aileron and right rudder to correct; however, the airplane ground looped to the left and exited the left side of the runway. The right landing gear sank into the sod, the right wing struck the ground, and the airplane tipped on its nose then came to rest on its landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing and aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N35VM
- Reported as
- Stinson 108 (1)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 108-2138
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 3,125.6
- Engine
- Franklin 6A-350-C1R, 220 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 20, 2018
- Departed
- MWH · Moses Lake, WA
- Destination
- SFF · Spokane, WA
- Airport
- SFF · Felts Field, runway 04R, 2,650 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, 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
- 38
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 29, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 117 total · 10 in this make and model · 48 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 30° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.63 inHg
- Observed at
- KSFF
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 21, 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.