- Date
- June 30, 2019, 12:40 local (19:40 UTC)
- Place
- Yakima, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4238MPiper PA 12
- Defining event
- Landing: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190630016649A
- Case key
- 99736
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 separation of the left steering spring from the tailwheel assembly during landing for reasons that could not be determined, 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 of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, he felt a "tailwheel shimmy." He attempted to correct with elevator to no avail. The airplane veered right, and he attempted to add left brake, but the airplane quickly ground looped to the right. The left wing struck the runway. He then taxied the airplane to the ramp with difficulty. The pilot reported that postaccident examination revealed that the left tailwheel steering spring was missing. He added that the spring was present and operating normally during preflight and taxi before takeoff. Crash fire rescue personnel found the left steering spring on the runway while conducting an examination for runway damage. In pictures provided by the pilot, the spring appeared undamaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, he felt a "tailwheel shimmy." He attempted to correct with elevator to no avail. The airplane veered to the right, he attempted to add left brake, but the airplane quickly ground looped to the right. The left wing struck the runway. He then taxied the airplane to the ramp with difficulty. Postaccident examination revealed that the left tailwheel steering spring was missing. He added that the spring was present and operating normally during preflight and taxi before takeoff. Crash fire rescue personnel found the left steering spring on the runway while conducting an examination for runaway damage. In pictures provided by the pilot, the spring appeared undamaged. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about 47 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 160° at 7 knots. The same automated station reported that, about 13 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 140° at 6 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 27.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4238M
- Reported as
- Piper PA 12 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 12-3134
- Built
- 1947
- Airframe hours
- 2,871.2
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-C1, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 2019
- Departed
- YKM · Yakima, WA
- Destination
- YKM · Yakima, WA
- Airport
- YKM · Yakima Air Terminal/Mcallister, runway 27, 7,604 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 17, 2019
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 1,297.1 total · 132.6 in this make and model · 1,210.4 as pilot in command · 79.5 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot-rated passenger
- Age
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 750 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KYKM
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 12, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.6 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.