LAX04CA036

NTSB accident investigation · R. James Thorne Nieuport 12 · Chandler, AZ · November 6, 2003

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
November 6, 2003, 09:15 local (16:15 UTC)
Place
Chandler, AZ
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N124TKR. James Thorne Nieuport 12
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report March 2, 2004
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA
FAA report
20031106028479A
Case key
58327

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.

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.

Loss of control - on ground/waterLanding - roll
Directional control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Ground loop/swerve - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
On ground/water encounter with terrain/waterLanding - roll
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

The airplane ground looped and veered off the runway during the landing roll. During the landing roll, the airplane began turning to the right. The pilot applied correction to the left; however, the airplane departed the runway. As the airplane traveled back onto the pavement, one of the wheels bent and stopped the forward motion. The airplane then rolled forward and damaged the propeller. The lower left wing was also bent during the accident sequence. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane.

Factual narrative

On November 6, 2003, at 0915 mountain standard time, a Thorne Nieuport 12 experimental biplane, N124TK, veered off of the runway during the landing roll at the Chandler, Arizona, airport. The pilot/owner was operating the flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The private pilot was not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Chandler about 0900 for the personal, local flight in the pattern. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

In a written statement, the pilot reported that during the landing roll, the airplane began turning to the right. He applied correction to the left; however, the airplane departed the runway. As the airplane traveled back onto the pavement, one of the wheels bent and stopped the forward motion. The airplane then rolled forward and damaged the propeller. The left lower wing was also bent during the accident sequence. The pilot reported no mechanical problems with the airplane.

Aircraft

Registration
N124TK
Reported as
R. James Thorne Nieuport 12
Category
Airplane, amateur-built
Serial number
084
Engine
Continental C-85, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
R. James Thorne
Airworthiness certificate
Special, Experimental (Special)
Departed
CHD · Chandler, CA
Airport
CHD · Chandler Municipal, runway 04

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
63
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3
Flight hours
500 total · 90 in this make and model · 8 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.