- Date
- April 16, 2019, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Denver, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N755KTubbs S/Performance Air PA-18-225
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190416002899A
- Case key
- 99280
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, which resulted in a ground-loop.
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
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing. During the landing roll, the airplane veered left, and he corrected with right rudder and right brake. Subsequently, the airplane ground looped to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he made a three-point landing. During the landing roll, the airplane veered left, and he corrected with right rudder and right brake. Subsequently, the airplane ground-looped to the right, the left main landing gear collapsed, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N755K
- Reported as
- Tubbs S/Performance Air PA-18-225
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- PA 0105
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 624.8
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-C4P, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · December 4, 2018
- Departed
- APA · Denver, CO
- Destination
- APA · Denver, CO
- Airport
- APA · Centennial, runway 28, 4,800 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B
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
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 4, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 1,234 total · 491 in this make and model · 1,100 as pilot in command · 17 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.71 inHg
- Observed at
- KAPA
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 15, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.6 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 N755K · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.