- Date
- July 13, 2003, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Livermore, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N25SFMaysmike Pitts S1S
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 25, 2003
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Oakland FSDO
- FAA report
- 20030713018469A
- Case key
- 57580
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 inadequate compensation for crosswind conditions, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a ground loop.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The airplane ground looped during the landing roll. After practicing touch-and-go's at another airport, the pilot returned for landing. The touchdown was normal except for a "slight bounce." During the roll out, the left wing lifted and the airplane turned slightly to the left. The pilot applied "rudder correction with [the] stick full back." The airplane continued to turn left and he attempted differential braking; however, the airplane continued to turn left. The airplane came to rest facing about 90 degrees left of the runway heading. The right wing sustained a broken spar and broken ribs, and the right landing gear was bent during the turn. In a post accident examination, all flight controls functioned properly and no preimpact anomalies were found. The winds reported at 0953 were 240 degree at 6 knots. The winds reported at 1053 were 230 degrees at 7 knots.
Factual narrative
On July 13, 2003, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Maysmike Pitts S1S, N25SF, ground looped during the landing roll out at Livermore Airport (LVK), Livermore, California. The pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Livermore about 0900 for the local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed.
In a written statement, the pilot reported after practicing touch-and-go's at Byron Airport (C83), Byron, California, he returned for landing at Livermore, runway 25. The touchdown was normal except for a "slight bounce." During the roll out, the left wing lifted and the airplane turned slightly to the left. The pilot applied "rudder correction with [the] stick full back." The airplane continued to turn left and he attempted differential braking; however, the airplane continued to turn left. The airplane came to rest facing about 90 degrees left of the runway heading. The right wing sustained a broken spar and broken ribs, and the right landing gear was bent during the turn.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the airplane. All flight controls functioned properly and no preimpact anomalies were found.
The winds reported by the Livermore Aviation Routine Weather Report (METAR) at 0953 were 240 degree at 6 knots. The winds reported at 1053 were 230 degrees at 7 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25SF
- Reported as
- Maysmike Pitts S1S
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- MLM-001
- Engine
- Lycoming AEIO-360 Ser, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Douglas Hiranaka
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- KLVK · Livermore, CA
- Airport
- KLVK · Livermore, runway 25
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
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 277 total · 39 in this make and model · 8 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- KLVK
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.